Northwest Territories suspends travel to Yukon due to COVID-19 outbreak
Wednesday, June 16, 2021 @ 9:38 AM | By Amanda Jerome
The Northwest Territories’ Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) temporarily suspended its travel exemption to the Yukon on June 15 “due to the ongoing outbreak situation in Yukon Territory.”
According to a government release, anyone travelling from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) “will require self-isolation and testing in accordance with NWT travel and self-isolation requirements.”
People who are fully vaccinated and their household members are “eligible for shortened self-isolation but are still required to complete a 14-day self-isolation plan,” the release added.
The release also noted that the OCPHO is reaching out to people who have recently returned from Yukon “with individualized advice.”
“The COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly in Yukon Territory with more cases, exposure sites, and communities affected. Please see Yukon Government’s current COVID-19 situation for timely updates. Today, Yukon Government reported that a Whitehorse resident has died due to COVID-19 and that all cases are considered to be the Gamma variant of concern (P.1, first detected in Brazil in November 2020). The NWT’s CPHO is monitoring the situation and will resume the exemption process when safe to do so,” said Dr. Kami Kandola, the chief public health officer, in a statement.
Kandola stressed that the N.W.T.’s OCPHO “continues to collaborate closely with our Nunavut and Yukon partners.”
“Together, we’ve worked diligently to prevent serious outcomes from COVID-19 and minimize harms for northerners during this pandemic. Our thoughts are with Yukon as they manage this current COVID-19 situation,” she added.
If you have any information, story ideas or news tips for The Lawyer’s Daily please contact Amanda Jerome at Amanda.Jerome@lexisnexis.ca or call 416-524-2152.
According to a government release, anyone travelling from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) “will require self-isolation and testing in accordance with NWT travel and self-isolation requirements.”
People who are fully vaccinated and their household members are “eligible for shortened self-isolation but are still required to complete a 14-day self-isolation plan,” the release added.
The release also noted that the OCPHO is reaching out to people who have recently returned from Yukon “with individualized advice.”
“The COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly in Yukon Territory with more cases, exposure sites, and communities affected. Please see Yukon Government’s current COVID-19 situation for timely updates. Today, Yukon Government reported that a Whitehorse resident has died due to COVID-19 and that all cases are considered to be the Gamma variant of concern (P.1, first detected in Brazil in November 2020). The NWT’s CPHO is monitoring the situation and will resume the exemption process when safe to do so,” said Dr. Kami Kandola, the chief public health officer, in a statement.
Kandola stressed that the N.W.T.’s OCPHO “continues to collaborate closely with our Nunavut and Yukon partners.”
“Together, we’ve worked diligently to prevent serious outcomes from COVID-19 and minimize harms for northerners during this pandemic. Our thoughts are with Yukon as they manage this current COVID-19 situation,” she added.
If you have any information, story ideas or news tips for The Lawyer’s Daily please contact Amanda Jerome at Amanda.Jerome@lexisnexis.ca or call 416-524-2152.
