Today is National Kids and Vaccines Day, which focuses on COVID-19 vaccination this year. To mark the occasion, organizations such as ScienceUpFirst, Children’s Healthcare Canada and the Sandbox Project have united to provide the best information available on COVID-19 vaccinations for kids aged five to 11 years of age.
With the support of its partners, the Government of Yukon is expanding the availability of take-home, self-administered rapid COVID-19 tests to schools, licensed early learning and child care (ELCC) programs, and communities throughout the Yukon.
The Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott has declared an outbreak at the Whistle Bend Place long-term care home following the identification of COVID-19 cases among staff and residents in three houses.
The current situation is contained and routine outbreak management procedures are in place, including screening and testing protocols. Additional information has been shared with staff, residents and families.
The Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott has reported another death of a Yukon citizen from COVID-19. This brings the total to 16 since the first death was reported in October 2020.
Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee has declared a substance use health emergency following a drastic increase in overdose related deaths in the territory.
The Government of Yukon is working closely with partners to advance a range of harm reduction initiatives in response to the emergency. A number of initiatives will be underway including:
The Yukon’s Chief Coroner Heather Jones has confirmed four deaths due to illicit drugs in the first seven days of January 2022. Three of these deaths are the result of fentanyl. Further, the Yukon Coroner’s Service is investigating three more deaths occurring between January 15 and 19 that are suspected to be drug related. Toxicology results related to these three additional deaths are pending.
Stronger public health measures needed to address the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the Yukon are now enforceable under the Civil Emergency Measures Act.
The new temporary public health measures are being introduced to further limit contact between individuals and prevent further strain on public health systems based on recommendations from the Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Public health measures now in effect include:
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee and the acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott have issued the following statement:
“The Government of Yukon is pleased that Health Canada has authorized a new drug to treat adults who have been diagnosed mild to moderate COVID-19 and are at risk of developing serious disease.
The Government of Yukon is strengthening public health measures to address the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the Yukon as a result of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The Yukon is experiencing unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 cases that threaten to overwhelm the territory's health care system.
Based on recommendations from the Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, new temporary public health measures are being introduced to further limit contact between individuals and prevent further strain on public health systems.