September 30, 2020: COVID-19 update

The Government of Yukon has the following updates for the Yukon public on measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 cases and recoveries

As of today, September 30, at 2 p.m., the COVID-19 case count for Yukon is 15. Everyone has recovered. We have tested 3,402 people.

COVID-19 Testing Centre

From Tuesday, September 22, to Monday, September 28, we tested 157 people at the COVID-19 Testing Centre (CTC) in Whitehorse.

The Respiratory Assessment Centre has been renamed the COVID-19 Testing Centre. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday.  Referrals are no longer required for a COVID-19 test at the CTC.

Road border schedule change for on-site personnel

On-site road border personnel are transitioning from the current 24-hours a day schedule to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Alaska Highway and Junction 37 borders beginning October 1.

Travellers arriving outside of these hours will be required to sign a declaration and submit their self-isolation plan, along with a contact number when they arrive from outside of BC, the NWT or Nunavut. There will be on-site kiosks for completing the self-declaration, which is required by law.

 The COVID-19 information station on the Alaska Highway in Whitehorse will also be closing as of 6 p.m. today. These changes reflect reduced road traffic as the winter season approaches.

Process for public notifications regarding active cases

Once Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC) receives notification of a positive result of COVID-19 they then begin the process of contract tracing. This process involves speaking with the patient, family and close contacts to determine the level of risk of exposure. 

Yukon Communicable Disease only contacts people who are identified as contacts. Public notifications are only issued when YCDC is not able to identify everyone who may have come into contact with an infected person.

Guidance for Halloween and Thanksgiving

The Chief Medical Officer of Health is encouraging Halloween to take place. Children should wear a non-medical mask or face covering, or consider a Halloween themed cloth mask; they should trick or treat in their consistent social bubble; not gather on doorsteps, and use a prop like a broom or a sword to ring doorbells.

Those who are distributing candy should use a tool to offer treats, such as tongs or a hockey stick. Only distribute wrapped store bought candy. Please do not leave treats in a communal bucket.

More information will be available on Yukon.ca.

Singing and music performances

We know there's risk associated with these activities and we have tools to manage that risk.

• Keep a minimum of two metres between singers and musicians at all times.
• Face forward while singing or playing instruments (not in a circle or facing each other).
• Conductors should maintain four metres from the choir or orchestra or wear a face shield and maintain two metres’ distance.
• Performers should maintain four metres from the audience or be separated by plexiglas or similar barrier.
• Rehearsals are recommended to be 30 minutes or less.
• Ensure good ventilation where you are practising, space out in the room you are playing or singing in, open the window, practise outside if you can
• Regular cleaning of instruments, mouthpieces, music stands, drum sticks and other accessories is essential.
• Do not share cleaning cloths, instrument brushes or microphones.

Read the singing and music guidelines.  

New charges under the Civil Emergency Measures Act

Below is a summary of the charges laid on September 29. We do not provide any information that may identify anyone such as their name, where they received the charge or their contact information.

One person was charged with the following:

• Failure to provide a declaration.
• Failure to comply with the self-isolation order.

Enforcement statistics

The Government of Yukon has received 857 complaints:

• Failure to self-isolate: 478
• Social gatherings over 10 inside or 50 outside: 24
• Failure to transit through Yukon in 24 hours or stay on the designated route: 331
• Businesses failing to comply with Orders: 10
• Failure to abide by a declaration form or not permitted entry into Yukon: 13
• Other: 1

There have been a total of 12 people charged, and 17 charges laid under the Civil Emergency Measures Act (CEMA).

A total of 50,510 travellers have come into Yukon:

• Resident travellers: 10,705
• BC residents: 10,601
• NWT residents: 303
• Other approved jurisdictions: 676
• Non-residents staying: 9,350
• Non-residents transiting: 18,805
• Other: 70
• Decals distributed indicating out-of-territory vehicles allowed in Yukon: 291