Beginning July 15, health care professionals providing COVID-19 tests will have an expanded set of symptoms to watch for in Yukoners who have not travelled outside the territory.
Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley, working with Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC), has released expanded testing criteria.
With the reopening of the territory to other provinces and territory, interactions with those from outside Yukon will increase. The expansion of the symptoms list will allow for increased testing which in turn will assist with early detection and contact tracing of COVID-19.
The expanded list of symptoms includes fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, loss of sense of taste or smell, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and muscle aches.
Increased testing will allow early detection and contact tracing which is a critical part of the public health strategy that will help us maintain our goal of case detection and containment. We now face the challenge of living and managing COVID while recognizing the need to address health and public health in a more holistic way. We will strive to identify cases early by testing the right people in a timely manner and when cases are identified, YCDC and my office will work to manage those persons and their contacts.
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Brendan Hanley
Testing of asymptomatic persons is not recommended at this time.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact 811 or complete the self-assessment test online.
The testing criteria is now the same for both individuals who have travelled and those who haven’t. Anyone who is tested is required to self-isolate until directed by their health care provider or Yukon Communicable Disease Control.
In Whitehorse testing is available Monday through Friday at the Respiratory Assessment Centre, 49A Waterfront Place, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a referral from 811, the online self-assessment tool, a health care provider or Yukon Communicable Disease Control.
People who have travelled outside Yukon and who are experiencing symptoms can call Yukon Communicable Disease Control.
Nigel Allan
Communications, Health Emergency Operations Centre
867-335-4838
nigel.allan@gov.yk.ca