Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health recommends wearing masks in indoor public spaces

Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott is issuing a strong recommendation for the consistent use of masks in all indoor public spaces. Her recommendation comes with the announcement of 36 new cases over the past 96 hours, from noon Friday, October 8, to noon Tuesday, October 12. The current active case count is 58.

This number includes 28 Yukon residents and eight out of territory residents diagnosed in the Yukon.

The Delta variant is circulating in southern jurisdictions and spreading in the Yukon with more Yukoners travelling more frequently now than they were last year. All of this combined with the approach of flu season means we must take steps to protect ourselves, our families and our community from the spread of COVID-19.

The Delta variant is infecting those who are vaccinated along with those who are not, or who are partially vaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated however are not getting as ill. The acting Chief Medical Officer of Health is also concerned that we are seeing rapid and widespread transmission among groups and social networks with very low vaccination rates and individuals. Unvaccinated individuals are highly integrated into the Yukon and therefore sharing disease throughout  vaccinated networks.

While this is a strong health recommendation and not an order, businesses and facilities still have the right to ask you to wear a mask.

I am concerned with the increasing number of cases we are seeing daily. We started at two cases a day, then four and now we are seeing 11 and 12. After the Gamma wave in June, we hit a low point in August, seeing two cases a day for a couple of weeks, then four a day and now 11 to 12 new cases a day. Wearing a mask in places where you don’t know everyone or their vaccine status is a small sacrifice to avoid getting sick. If a business or a facility asks you to wear a mask because that is their policy, please respect that. If people choose to wear a mask, even where it isn’t required, respect their intentions to keep themselves and others safe from the spread of COVID-19.  

Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott

Media contact 

Patricia Living
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-335-1531
patricia.living@yukon.ca

News release #: 
21-397