>> IF THERE'S OTHERS ON THE
LINE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW
FOLLOWING, OKAY.
>> HELLO.
HELLO.
GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR JOINING
US.
WE'RE JUST GETTING
ALL THE TECHNICAL DETAILS IN
PLACE.
WE HAVE A CALL-IN LINE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
JOINING US TODAY FOR THE UPDATE
ON COVID-19.
WE HAVE THE MINISTER OF HEALTH
PAULINE FROST, AS WELL AS THE
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
Dr. BRENDAN HANLEY HERE TO
PROVIDE UP TO DATE INFORMATION
AND TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF
HEARING HAVE AN AMERICAN SIGN
LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WHO IS
BESIDE ME.
I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE
ASKING QUESTIONS TODAY TO SPEAK
AT A SLOWER PACE IS TO THAT WE
HAVE TIME TO INTERPRET.
WE'RE ALSO LIVE STREAMING THIS
ON FACEBOOK AND THERE IS CLOSED
CAPTIONING AVAILABLE AS WELL.
BEFORE HANDING IT OVER TO
MINISTER FROST, I'D JUST LIKE TO
THANK ALL OF OUR MEDIA PARTNERS,
INCLUDING CBC WHO ARE
BROADCASTING THIS LIVE ON RADIO
TO YUKON COMMUNITIES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE
IN THE YUKON HAS ACCESS TO THE
INTERNET WHERE A LOT OF THE UP
TO DATE INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL
OF THE EFFORTS EVERYONE IS
TAKING TO DISSEMINATE
INFORMATION TO ALL YUKONERS WHO
NEED IT.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU I'D LIKE
TO INVITE MINISTER FROST UP TO
MAKE A STATEMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY
FOR AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 IN
YUKON.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THERE ARE STILL
NO POSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN
THE YUKON.
I WANT TO THANK ALL YUKONERS FOR
THEIR DILIGENT EFFORTS TO HELP
FLATTEN THE CURVE DURING THIS
CRITICAL TIME.
WE KNOW THAT THE FIRST CASE OF
COVID-19 IN THE TERRITORY IS
ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
WE ARE TAKING ALL THE STEPS
NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE
DISEASE.
WE ARE SETTING UP A RESPIRATORY
ASSESSMENT CENTRE IN WHITEHORSE
TO HELP TREAT INDIVIDUALS WITH
ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS SUCH
AS INFLUENZA OR COVID-19.
THE CENTRE WILL BE LOCATED AT
THE YUKON CONVENTION CENTRE ON
4th AVENUE AND WILL OPEN IN THE
COMING DAYS.
BY DELIVERING INDIVIDUALS --
PARDON ME.
FOR DIVERTING INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS TO THE
ASSESSMENT CENTRE WE'RE TAKING
PRESSURES OFF OF THE HOSPITALS,
PHYSICIAN CLINICS AND YUKON
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL
CENTRE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE PREPARED TO
USE THE COAST HIGH COUNTRY INN
AS AN ISOLATION CENTRE WHEN
NEEDED.
THIS SPACE WILL BE USED FOR
INDIVIDUALS RETURNING TO YUKON
WHO HAVE TO SELF ISOLATE AND ARE
UNABLE TO RETURN HOME BECAUSE
THEIR HOME SITUATION DOES NOT
ALLOW FOR PROPER ISOLATION.
AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE SOMEONE WHO
IS COMING HOME TO A RURAL
COMMUNITY FROM THE UNITED STATES
OR ABROAD AND HAS TO SELF
ISOLATE.
THEIR HOME MAY NOT HAVE TWO
SEPARATE BATHROOMS, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR
ISOLATION.
OR THERE MAY BE SOMEONE IN THEIR
HOME WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS WHO
SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO ANY
POSSIBLE ILLNESS.
THERE MAY BE OTHER OPTIONS FROM
THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO
IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE PLACES FOR
SELF ISOLATION AS WE GET CASES.
WHETHER SOMEONE IS FROM
WHITEHORSE OR FROM ANOTHER
COMMUNITY, WE WILL HELP THOSE
RETURNING INDIVIDUALS PROTECT
THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR
FRIENDS.
USING A HOTEL ALLOW US TO
SEPARATE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY
NEED ACCOMMODATIONS SUCH AS
ADDITIONAL HEALTH CARE WORKERS
WHO HAVE COME FROM OTHER
JURISDICTIONS TO ASSIST.
I WANT TO THANK THE NORTHERN
DIVISION DEVELOPMENT FOR WORKING
WITH OUR GOVERNMENT IN ALLOWING
US TO USE THESE SPACES TO
ADDRESS THE CURRENT SITUATION.
WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO
ENSURE YUKON REMAINS PREPARED
FOR COVID-19 AND CAN MANAGE THE
SITUATION AS IT DEVELOPS.
THE COMMUNITY-MINDED SPIRIT
WE'RE WITNESSING FROM
INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES
ACROSS THE TERRITORY IS TRULY
INSPIRING.
AS WE KNOW THE SITUATION IS
CHANGING QUICKLY.
WE HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW TOOL
ONLINE TO HELP WITH ASSESSMENTS.
THIS TOOL IS AVAILABLE IN
ENGLISH AND FRENCH AND WE
ENCOURAGE YUKONERS TO USE IT
BEFORE CALLING 811 IF THEY ARE
ABLE.
LATER TODAY INDIVIDUALS WHO DO
CALL 811 WILL FIND A NEW TRIAGE
SYSTEM IN PLACE.
WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT
NORTHWEST HEALTH WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO INCREASE
LOCAL CAPACITY AND PROVIDE MORE
YUKON-SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
THIS WILL HELP ALLEVIATE WAIT
TIMES FOR YUKONERS.
AS I AM SURE YOU CAN APPRECIATE,
THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE ACROSS
THE GOVERNMENT WORKING
TIRELESSLY ON RESPONSES TO
COVID-19.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST
THANK THE DOCTORS, THE NURSES,
THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
AND THE FRONTLINE STAFF.
AS WELL AS THOSE WORKING BEHIND
THE SCENES TO MOBILIZE EFFORTS
THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
YUKONERS.
TOGETHER WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS
SITUATION.
TOGETHER WE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE
ABLE TO GATHER FOR SPRING
CARNIVALS AND BIKE RELAYS AND
PAD IT WILL YUKON RIVER QUEST TO
DAWSON CITY.
BY ACTING NOW AS I HAVE SEEN SO
MANY YUKONERS DO, WE WILL GET
BACK TO A TIME WHEN WE CAN HUG
FRIENDS THAT WE SEE ON THE
STREETS OR FRIENDS WE SEE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE REMAIN
COMMITTED TO KEEPING ALL
YUKONERS UPDATED WITH NEW
INFORMATION AS SOON AS IT IS
AVAILABLE.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE NOW TO
ASK Dr. HANLEY TO PROVIDE SOME
LATEST PUBLIC INFORMATION
UPDATES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER FROST.
WE'RE STILL IN A GOOD POSITION.
PREPARATIONS ARE ONGOING.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE
LIVING IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.
WE ARE IN A TIME OF INTENSE
PREPARATION.
SOCIAL DISTANCING, PROTECTING
OUR VULNERABLE CITIZENS, WHILE
OPTIMIZING HEALTH CARE CAPACITY
AND OUR ABILITY TO MEET
POPULATION NEEDS.
PREPARATION RANGES FROM HELPING
TO SUPPORT ELDERS AND RURAL
SUPPORTED HOUSING TO SUPPORTING
GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE BUSINESS
TO CARRY ON AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
TO BED MANAGEMENT AND VENTILATOR
TRAINING FOR NURSES AND GP'S TO
AMPLIFYING PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES
TO MANAGE AND CONTAIN CASES.
SHOULD CASES ARRIVE.
BUT WE NOT IN LOCK DOWN.
SOCIETY NEEDS TO FUNCTION AS
WELL AS POSSIBLE UNDER THESE NEW
MEASURES AND CONSTRAINTS.
THIS IS A TIME OF ADAPTION AND
PREPARATION BUT NOT OF SHUTTING
DOWN.
[Speaking French]
IN THIS VEIN, THERE ARE A FEW
ADDITIONAL MEASURES BEING PUT IN
PLACE.
APART FROM WHAT THE MINISTER HAS
ANNOUNCED.
ONE IS ABOUT HOSPITAL VISITS.
SO WHITEHORSE GENERAL HOSPITAL
HAS AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION
DECIDED TO SUSPEND ALL SCHEDULED
NON-URGENT SURGICAL PROCEDURES
AS OF MONDAY, MARCH 23RD.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
SURGICAL CARE FOR URGENT AND
EMERGENCY CASES.
ANYONE WITH AN APPOINTMENT WILL
BE CONTACTED INDIVIDUALLY BY THE
HOSPITAL TO LET THEM KNOW AND TO
HELP THEM WITH QUESTIONS.
YUKONERS MAY ALSO BE AWARE
ALREADY THAT NO VISITORS ARE
ALLOWED AT THE THREE HOSPITALS
IN THE TERRITORY, APART FROM THE
LIMITED EXCEPTIONS THAT WE'VE
ALREADY PUBLISHED.
NOW ACTIVE SCREENING IS IN PLACE
AT ALL HOSPITALS, AND THAT
ACTIVE SCREENING IS ABOUT ASKING
ANYONE COME TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE REASON FOR THE VISIT,
SYMPTOMS AND TRAVEL.
ON CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, I KNOW
THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
DAYCARE AND WHAT WAS THE
DECISION ABOUT DAYCARE AFTER OUR
ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT SUSPENDING
CLASSES, SCHOOL CLASSES.
DAYCARES AND CHILD CARE CENTRES
WILL NOT BE CLOSING.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
REASONS FOR THAT.
WHICH I CAN GO INTO LATER, BUT
THE GIST OF THE REASONS IS THAT
DAYCARES ARE VERY DIFFERENT
SETTINGS FROM SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVELY
WORKING WITH DAYCARE OPERATORS,
FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES
BRANCH AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT WE
HAVE A REALLY CAREFUL AND
MEASURED APPROACH TO CHILD CARE
CENTRES.
CERTAINLY CHILD CARE AND SAFETY
IS AN UTMOST PRIORITY FOR ALL OF
US.
REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN
ATTENDING CHILD CARE CENTRES HAS
ALREADY BEEN RECOMMENDED, AND
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND
THIS HAS HELPED TO LIMIT THE
POTENTIAL SPREAD OF VIRUS,
SHOULD VIRUS ARRIVE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL
PARENTS ARE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER
THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME AT THIS
TIME.
SO TRULY CHILD CARE SERVICES ARE
A WAY TO CONTINUE TO OFFER
ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR PARENTS,
FOR SOCIETY IN THIS SITUATION.
IT ALLOWS CARE FOR CHILDREN WHO
CONTINUE TO NEED CARE.
IT ALSO ALLOWS ESSENTIAL
SERVICES TO CONTINUE.
REGARDING THE RESPIRATORY
ASSESSMENT CENTRE THAT THE
MINISTER HAS ANNOUNCED, I'M VERY
PLEASED THAT I'VE BEEN QUITE
INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS TO HELP
MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE RIGHT
LINKS ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE TO
ENSURE THAT WHEN THIS OPENS THAT
IT OPENS READY TO WELCOME THE
PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE THERE AND
TO PROVIDE A GOOD SERVICE.
RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS BEING
SET UP FROM 0 TO OPENING IN A
MATTER OF DAYS.
I THINK THE BIGGEST MESSAGE I
WANT TO GIVE ABOUT THIS IS THAT
IT'S NOT A WALK IN.
IT WON'T BE A WALK-IN FACILITY.
IT'S A PHONE FIRST FACILITY.
AND THIS IS REALLY TO TRY TO
LINE UP WITH THE WAY WE'D LIKE
TO DO CARE NOW.
SO PHONE ADVICE WILL BE
AVAILABLE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO
GIVE MORE PRECISE DETAILS CLOSER
TO THAT.
BECAUSE WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING
ON THE 811 SERVICE TO MAKE SURE
THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THE
RIGHT ADVICE IS BEING PROVIDED.
BASICALLY THE RESPIRATORY
ASSESSMENT CLINIC IS BEING SET
UP FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLU-LIKE
ILLNESS, HAVE RESPIRATORY
ILLNESS, WHO UPON PHONE TRIAGE
ARE ADVISED TO GET MEDICAL,
DIRECT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
SO AS I'VE MENTIONED ON MANY
OCCASIONS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
WITH FLU-LIKE ILLNESS WHO DON'T
NEED TO BE SEEN AT ALL.
IN FACT, THE MAJORITY DON'T NEED
TO BE SEEN AT ALL.
THEY CAN -- YOU KNOW, WHETHER
WE'RE IN A TIME OF COVID-19 OR
NOT, INFLUENZA ILLNESS IS
MOSTLY -- INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS
IS MOSTLY MILD AND PEOPLE DON'T
NEED TO BE SEEN.
THE PEOPLE WE WOULD LIKE TO
TEST, THE PEOPLE WE WOULD LIKE
TO BE ASSESSED ARE TWO GENERAL
CATEGORIES.
THOSE WHO ON USING THE ONLINE
ASSESSMENT TOOL OR BY PHONE
TRIAGE ARE RECOMMENDED TO GET
TESTING.
AND BASICALLY, AGAIN, THAT'S
PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS
ASSOCIATED WITH A TRAVEL
HISTORY.
AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE
WOULD LIKE TO TEST FOR COVID.
AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE
ACCORDINGLY.
THE SECOND CATEGORY IS THOSE
WITH INFLUENZA ILLNESS WHO ARE
AT RISK FOR COMPLICATIONS OR WHO
HAVE SERIOUS ILLNESS.
OF COURSE THOSE WITH SERIOUS
ILLNESS WE WANT TO BE SEEN AT
THE RIGHT PLACE FOR SERIOUS
ILLNESS, WHICH IS THE EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENTS OR THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTRES.
AND THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
AND THE HEALTH CENTRES CONTINUE
TO BE COMPLETELY AVAILABLE FOR
PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS,
WHETHER IT'S INFLUENZA-LIKE
ILLNESS, WHETHER IT'S COVID OR
WHETHER IT'S ANYTHING ELSE.
THE INTENT OF THE RESPIRATORY
ASSESSMENT CLINIC THOUGH IS TO
DIVERT LOW RISK PEOPLE WITH
THESE KINDS OF SYMPTOMS, WITH
INFLUENZA-LIKE SYMPTOMS TO A
CENTRALIZED AREA TO BE ABLE TO
BE SEEN.
FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO BE SEEN.
[Speaking French]
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT -- A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE HOSPITAL CLOSURE.
AND THEN I THINK WE CAN CLOSE
FOR -- OR OPEN FOR QUESTIONS,
SORRY.
AND THE HOSPITAL CLOSURE OF
ELECTIVE PROCEDURES -- SO THE
CLOSING OF ELECTIVE PROCEDURES
BUT ALLOWING EMERGENCY
PROCEDURES, URGENT PROCEDURES
AND THOSE OTHER PROCEDURES THAT
ARE CONSIDERED NON-ELECTIVE,
WHETHER THAT BE, YOU KNOW,
EMERGENCY SURGERY, TRAUMA
SURGERY, CANCER SURGERY, THOSE
KIND OF THINGS WILL VERY MUCH BE
CONTINUING.
IT'S THE THINGS THAT CAN BE PUT
OFF FOR A WHILE THAT ARE TRIAGED
TO BE ELECTIVE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN
WAIT WITHOUT UNDUE CONVENIENCE.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL
BE ASKED TO RESCHEDULE FOR A
LATER TIME.
NOW, THAT'S REALLY -- THERE ARE
TWO FUNDAMENTAL REASONS BEHIND
THIS.
ONE IS ON THE SOCIAL DISTANCING,
THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE, AGAIN,
ASKING ALL THE PUBLIC TO START
OBSERVING.
SO IT'S REALLY TO TRY TO LIMIT
THE FLOW OF PEOPLE INTO THE
HOSPITAL, IN LINE WITH OTHER
SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES.
SO LET BRING PEOPLE INTO
HOSPITAL THAT IS MORE URGENT TO
SEE, WHO NEED TO BE SEEN.
BUT IF IT'S NOT URGENT, MAYBE WE
CAN LIMIT THAT KIND OF FLOW.
THE OTHER THING IS TO ALLOW
CONCENTRATION, AGAIN, IN GETTING
READY.
GETTING READY FOR CONTINGENCY
AND MAKING SURE THAT THE HEALTH
CARE PERSONNEL ARE WELL PREPARED
OR PRACTICED AND HAVE THAT
CAPACITY TO RAMP UP ACCORDING TO
DEMAND.
I THINK I'VE SPOKEN FOR A WHAT
TIME.
I THINK WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS AT
THIS POINT.
>> THANK YOU, Dr. HANLEY AND
MINISTER FROST.
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
HERE IN PERSON.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW PEOPLE
JOINING US ON TELECONFERENCE.
SO AFTER WE DO A ROUND OF
QUESTIONS FOR THOSE WE'LL CIRCLE
BACK AND GO TO THE PHONES.
WE HAVE A MICROPHONE JUST OVER
HERE.
SO IF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE COULD
LINE UP, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS
ONE AT A TIME.
THANKS.
>> HI.
TIM FROM CKRW.
JUST A QUESTION FOR Dr. HANLEY.
CAN YOU GIVE US TESTING NUMBER
UPDATES ON HOW MANY HAVE GONE
OUT, HOW MANY COME IN, MAYBE I'M
ALSO INTERESTED TO NOTE HOW MANY
ARE, LIKE, GOING OUT PER DAY
NOW.
AND AS OF THE -- WHEN WE SPOKE
LAST TIME, YOU HAD SAID B.C. WAS
LOOKING TO RAMP UP THEIR TESTING
AND OUTPUT EARLY NEXT WEEK.
IS THAT STILL ON TRACK?
>> THE BEST ADVICE ABOUT TESTING
NUMBERS IS TO LOOK ONLINE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I AM NOT
ACTIVELY FOLLOWING TESTING
NUMBERS.
IN FACT, I REFER TO ONLINE.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING TESTING
ACCORDING TO CITE YEAH. EVEN AS
THE CRITERIA MIGHT CHANGE FROM
WEEK TO WEEK REGARDING WHO WE
SHOULD BE TESTING.
AND SO THE LAST TIME THAT I
LOOKED ONLINE I THINK IT WAS
JUST OVER MAYBE 101 AS OF
YESTERDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SUMMARIES BY
WEEK BECAUSE THE DAY-TO-DAY FLOW
VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THAT DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE TESTED.
IT DEPENDS ON THE TRANSPORT, AND
IT DEPENDS ON HOW TESTS MIGHT BE
BATCHED AT BC CDC.
SO WE HAD A NUMBER OF TESTS COME
BACK LATE IN THE WEEK.
ALL NEGATIVE.
THE BACK LOG HAS BEEN LARGELY
FIXED.
AND SO WE ARE EXPECTING MUCH
FASTER TURN AROUND TIMES AS OF
NOW.
THERE'S STILL A BACK LOG FROM
THE TESTS THAT WERE DONE A WEEK
AGO BECAUSE THE CHANGES AND
AUTOMATION THAT WERE REQUIRED
WERE ONLY PUT IN PLACE FOR THE
MORE RECENT TEST THAT WAS
EARLIER THIS WEEK.
SO IT WAS ALMOST LIKE TWO
BUNDLES OF TESTS.
THE ONES THAT -- WELL, WE'VE
GOTTEN MOST OF THEM NOW.
THERE'S STILL A FEW OF THEM THAT
WERE IN THAT BACK LOG FROM LAST
WEEK.
BUT THE ONES THAT ARE BEING SENT
NOW ARE COMING BACK A LOT MORE
QUICKLY.
WHAT DOES A LOT MORE QUICKLY
MEAN?
THE BEST IS TWO DAYS.
AND THE SLOWEST MIGHT BE THREE
TO FIVE DAYS.
IS TO WE ARE CONTINUING TO --
OBVIOUSLY WE ARE ALL INTERESTED
IN RAPID TURN AROUND TIMES, BUT
AGAIN, WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN
QUALITY LAB TESTS THAT ARE
RELIABLE AND THE INFORMATION
SYSTEMS TO GO ALONG WITH THAT.
EVERY PERSON WHO HAS A TEST
RESULT, WHETHER IT NEGATIVE OR
POSITIVE, IS CONTACTED AND
COUNSELLED ACCORDINGLY.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH SPEEDING
UP OF TESTING CHANGES.
DID THAT ANSWER ALL YOUR
QUESTIONS?
>> I THINK THE B.C. CAPACITY --
SO WHERE'S THE WEBSITE?
>> SO GOOD QUESTION.
SO I ALWAYS GO TO YUKON.CA.
THAT'S SIMPLEST TO SAY.
YUKON.CA AND THEN THE FIRST
THING YOU SEE ON YUKON.CA IS THE
CORONAVIRUS SECTION.
AND POSTED RIGHT ON THAT FRONT
PAGE OF THE CORONAVIRUS SECTION
IS THE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT HAVE
BEEN DONE.
AS I SAY, THAT'S GOING TO BE
UPDATED WEEKLY AND THEN THE
NUMBER OF POSITIVES, WHICH IS AT
0.
AND THAT WOULD BE A CHANGE THAT
WE WOULD CHANGE ACCORDING TO THE
CALENDAR WE HAVE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULDN'T
BATCH THAT WEEKLY.
WE'D DO THAT DAILY AS POSSIBLE.
>> I WAS HOPING TO GET MORE
CLARITY ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO
GUEST TEST RESULTS BACK AND THAT
KIND OF THING.
I SPOKE WITH SOMEBODY WHO SAID
THEY WERE TOLD IT COULD TAKE UP
TO TWO WEEKS TO GET THEIR
RESULTS BACK.
COULD YOU CLARIFY HOW LONG
EXACTLY IT HAS TAKEN?
WHAT WAS THE VERY MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF TIME IT'S TAKEN SO FAR?
WAS IT STILL WITHIN THAT 3 TO 5
DAYS?
AND CAN YOU CLARIFY WHY IT'S
TAKING SO LONG AND IF THE
TERRITORY HAS SHOPPED AROUND TO
SEE IF THIS TESTING COULD BE
DONE QUICKER AT ANOTHER
LOCATION, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> SO OUR TESTING IS IN B.C. AT
THE B.C. CDC LAB.
THAT IS A LAB THAT WE'VE HAD A
CONNECTION WITH FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS.
SO YES, OF COURSE THE FIRST
THING, IF TESTS ARE COMING BACK
SLOWLY, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
IS TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE
ALTERNATIVES.
BUT WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH B.C. CDC LABS.
AND IN OTHER PLACES OR OTHER
RECENT CONFERENCES THAT --
[AUDIO DIFFICULTIES]
TESTING NORTHERN COMMUNITIES IS
ACTUALLY A PRIORITY FOR CANADA.
VERY RAPID DEMAND LAST WEEK IN
B.C. FOR TESTING.
TESTING INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY
IN A SHORT TIME.
[LIVE VIDEO INTERRUPTED]
>> FOR LAB TESTING CAPACITY IN
GENERAL IN B.C. TO RAMP UP.
THAT INCLUDED ESTABLISHING
TESTING AT OTHER SITES.
THE LOAD ON B.C. CDC HAS
DRESSED.
AT THE SAME TIME --
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE VARIED,
BUT OUR WORKING PRINCIPLE IS 3
TO 5 DAYS.
[Speaking French]
[Speaking French]
>> Question: I HAVE TWO
QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ONE HAS TO DO WITH NON-URGENT
PROCEDURES BEING SUSPENDED.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF
THOSE?
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION HAS
TO DO WITH THE RESPIRATORY
CENTRE.
I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF
SOMEONE LIKE ME WANTS TO GET
TESTED THERE, WHAT PROCEDURES DO
I NEED TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO
GET TESTED THERE?
>> THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT
SUSPENDING NON-ESSENTIAL
HOSPITAL SERVICES OR NON-URGENT
HOSPITAL SERVICES.
FIRST IS EMERGENCY SURGERIES.
THEY'LL ALWAYS GO AHEAD.
CANCER SURGERIES AND ENDOSCOPIES
WILL GO AHEAD WITH PROPER
SCREENING FOR TRAVEL AND
SYMPTOMS.
IF SOMEONE, FOR INSTANCE, HAS
CANCER SURGERY BOOKED BUT
THEY'RE SICK WITH AN ACUTE
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, THEY WOULD
BE RESCHEDULED UNTIL THEY'RE
NOT -- UNTIL THEY'RE BEYOND
THEIR ACUTE SYMPTOMS.
OTHER EXAMPLES, MINOR PROCEDURES
THAT WOULD BE SAFER FOR SKIN
CANCER WOULD GO AHEAD.
BUT OTHER MINOR PROCEDURES THAT
ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT AS URGENT OR
OTHER MINOR PROCEDURES WOULD BE
DELAYED.
TIME SENSITIVE OBSTETRICS
PROCEDURES, CANCER PROCEDURES
WOULD STILL BE GOING AHEAD.
THERE MAY BE OTHER CASES, FOR
INSTANCE A GALL BLADDER REMOVAL,
WHICH IF PEOPLE WERE NOT HAVING
COMPLICATIONS WITH IT OR
RECURRING BOUTS OF COMPLICATION,
THEY'LL BE POSTPONED.
BUT IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING
RECURRING ISSUES, THEY'LL BE
SCHEDULED.
SO THOSE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES.
THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT
HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY GET INTO THE
CLINIC.
AND THIS WILL BE MORE CLEAR
PRIOR TO OPENING.
SO THE COMMUNICATIONS AROUND IT
ARE ACTUALLY BEING PREPARED AS
WE SPEAK.
WHAT THE -- THE IDEAL WAY WOULD
BE THROUGH THE 811 LINE.
SO THAT IF YOU ARE ADVISED --
THE 811 LINE WILL ALWAYS TRY TO
SCREEN OUT OF COURSE.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS DO YOU
NEED TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY.
AND, AGAIN, IF IT'S A SEVERE
INFLUENZA, IF IT'S POSSIBLY
COVID OR NOT, IF YOU HAVE SEVERE
SYMPTOMS, THE PLACE TO BE SEEN
IS THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
IN RURAL CONTEXT, THAT WOULD BE
THE RURAL COMMUNITY CENTRE.
SO THEY WILL TELL YOU TO DO
THAT.
SO IF THAT PART IS SCREENED OUT,
THEN IT'S A QUESTION OF WHERE
IS -- SCREENING IN TO SEE THE
RESPIRATORY ASSESSMENT CLINIC.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF --
THERE IS SOME THAT WILL NEED --
AND IT GETS A LITTLE BIT COMPLEX
BECAUSE THERE IS SOME THAT ARE
DEEMED FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC HEALTH
WHERE, FOR INSTANCE, THEY MAY BE
A CONTACT OF SOMEONE WITH COVID
AND THEY ARE POSITIVE.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO NEED TO BE
SEEN BY COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
CONTROL BY B.C. CDC.
SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FLOW
THERE.
BUT THOSE THAT PHONED IN AND
THEY ARE ADVISED TO BE TESTED
FOR COVID-19 AND THEY'RE WELL OR
THEY HAVE FLU AND THEY NEED TO
BE SEEN, THEN THEY'LL BE ADVISED
TO GO THROUGH TO THE CLINIC.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAD THE
FLU, YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS
A TRIGGER THAT YOU COULDN'T JUST
STAY AT HOME AND GET BETTER, YOU
HAD FLU-LIKE ILLNESS BUT LET'S
SAY YOU WERE CONCERNED THAT
THINGS WERE GETTING WORSE AND
YOU WANTED TO BE SEEN BY A
PHYSICIAN, YOU PHONE AND THEN
YOU GET SCREENED INTO THE CLINIC
OR THE RESPIRATORY ASSESSMENT
CENTRE.
>> Question: JUST A FOLLOW-UP.
I MEAN, HOW LONG WOULD THAT
TAKE, GETTING SCREENED IN, HOW
LONG WOULD PEOPLE WAIT TO GET
TESTED AFTER THAT POINT?
>> I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE SET
UP DAYTIME HOURS.
THE EXACT HOURS WILL BE
PUBLISHED.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU WERE
PHONING DURING THAT DAY, PHONING
IN THE MORNING, YOU WOULD
IDEALLY BE GIVEN A TIME OR TOLD
TO DROP BISHOP.
IT REALLY DEPENDS.
WE'RE GOING TO REFINE THE
PROCESS AS WE GO.
THE KEY POINT AT THIS MOMENT IS
CENTRALIZING THAT SERVICE INTO
ONE PLACE.
SO YOU MIGHT EITHER BE TOLD JUST
COME BY OR YOU MIGHT BE GIVEN A
TIME TO COME BY.
IF YOU WERE PHONING THE EVENING
BEFORE AND YOU WERE FINE, THERE
WERE NO SIGNALS THAT YOU SHOULD
BE SEEN URGENTLY, THEN YOU'D BE
ADVISED THE NEXT DAY TO EITHER
PHONE AGAIN THE NEXT DAY OR TO
GO AT A SURGEON TIME THE NEXT
DAY.
>> Question: I JUST WANTED SOME
CLARIFICATION ON THE CHANGES TO
811.
IT SEAS YOU CAN BE DIRECTED TO
DIFFERENT PLACES AND I'M
WONDERING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE
AS A CALLER AND IF THERE ARE
OTHER CHANGES TO THE LINE AS
WELL.
>> SO THIS, AGAIN, IS A KIND OF
CHANGE IN PROCESS THAT'S
OCCURRING MORE OR LESS AS WE
SPEAK.
SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE IS
A MORE DIRECT ACCESS TO YUKON
SPECIFIC INFORMATION KIND OF AT
THE FRONT END OF 811.
811 IS STILL THE BEST PLACE TO
CALL FOR THE RIGHT ADVICE FOR
ALL KINDS OF -- OF COURSE ALL
KINDS OF MEDICAL QUESTIONS.
AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD
INTO THE FRONT END IS A WAY TO
STREAM OUT THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT
COVID WHO ARE WONDERING WHETHER
THEY SHOULD BE SCREENED FOR
COVID OR THOSE WHO HAVE
INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS OR SHOULD
THEY BE SCREENED BECAUSE OF
THAT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS ONCE
THAT IS SORT OF UP AND RUNNING
AND FIXED.
BUT AGAIN, TO POINT TO THE SELF
ASSESSMENT TOOL, IT WORKS.
IT'S REALLY GOOD.
AND IT HELPS TO TRIAGE YOU
THROUGH THAT.
OKAY, DO I ACTUALLY NEED TO BE
SEEN AT ALL?
DO I NEED TO GO TO EMERGENCY?
DO I NEED TO BE TESTED FOR
COVID.
THAT'S BUILT IN VERY QUICK.
AND VERY EASY TO USE.
>> THANKS.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE REPORTERS WE
HAVE ON OUR TELECONFERENCE LINE,
AND WE'LL START WITH BETH FROM
THE CANADIAN PRESS.
>> MATH YOU'LL, BETH HAS
ACTUALLY GONE OFF THE LINE, SO
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT CALLER.
>> OKAY.
KEVIN WITH MEDIA Q.
OKAY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE OUR CALLERS HAVE
LEFT THE LINE.
I KNOW TIM HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
DO YOU WANT TO COME TO THE MIC
TOO.
>> Question: SURE.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE
RESPIRATORY CENTRE AND PROBABLY
A QUESTION FOR BOTH.
Dr. HANLEY, WHEN DO YOU EXPECT
IT TO OPEN?
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING
INDICATING WHEN IT WOULD OPEN.
AND THEN FROM THE MINISTER FROST
PERSPECTIVE, THE RELEASE
YESTERDAY INDICATED THAT FROM
WHAT I READ, THAT THEY WERE
DONATING THE SPACE.
LIKE, CAN YOU CLARIFY?
ARE YOU RENTING IT OR IT'S BEING
DONATED AT 100%.
OR CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?
>> THANK YOU.
WHY IT WASN'T ANNOUNCED EARLIER,
CLEARLY WE HAD TO WORK OUT THE
ARRANGEMENTS.
AND IN REGARDS TO HOW THAT
ARRANGEMENT TRANSPIRED,
CERTAINLY WE NEEDED TO FIND A
SECURE PLACE IN THE CITY AND
THEY STEPPED UP TO OFFER THEIR
FACILITY.
AND AT COST.
SO THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY
ON THE ARRANGEMENT.
THEY'VE STEPPED FORWARD TO GIVE
US THE FACILITY AT COST.
THANK YOU.
>> I'LL GIVE THE FOLLOW-UP TO
TIM.
WE DIDN'T PUT A DATE BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY SETTING UP
WE'RE HOPING FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK
AND WE WILL CONFIRM.
AS SOON AS WE KNOW THAT WE'RE
READY, OF COURSE WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE ALL IS READY TO GO AND THEN
WE'LL LET PEOPLE KNOW.
BUT EARLY NEXT WEEK IS OUR AIM.
>> Question: CAN YOU FURTHER
EXPLAIN, PLEASE, WHY DAYCARES
ARE STILL ALLOWED TO BE OPEN?
I'M IMAGINING A BUNCH OF KIDS IN
A ROOM PUTTING LEGOS IN THEIR
MOUTHS, ET CETERA.
IS THAT SAFE?
>> PUTTING LEGOS IN THEIR MOUTHS
IS NEVER THE SAFEST THING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WANT TO
STRESS THAT WE ARE STILL IN A
TIME OF PREPARATION AND WE'RE
NOT IN A TIME OF LOCKDOWN.
IS TO WE'RE ALWAYS IN A TIME
THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING OUR NEXT
STEPS AND OUR THRESHOLDS FOR THE
NEXT STEPS.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, WHETHER
IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A HEALTH
CARE DECISION LIKE PULLING BACK
ELECTIVE PROCEDURES OR A SOCIAL
MEASURE LIKE LIMITING PEOPLE'S
ABILITY TO MINGLE, IT HAS
CONSEQUENCES.
SO CHILD CARE SERVICES ARE AN
ESSENTIAL SERVICE, AND WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH
AND WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT
THE BEST MEASURES ARE PUT IN
PLACE.
SUCH AS CLEANING FREQUENCY, SUCH
AS THINNING OUT THE CHILD CARE
CENTRES, FOR INSTANCE, SO THEY
HAVE LESS KIDS IN ANY ONE SPACE.
SO OF COURSE YOU CANNOT ASK
CHILDREN TO STAY TWO METRES
APART.
BUT YOU HAVE OTHER SOCIAL
DISTANCING MEASURES IN PLACE.
SO WE ARE, AGAIN, ALLOWING A
BALANCE BETWEEN SOCIETY TO
CONTINUE IN THE TIME THAT WE'RE
CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS A SAFE
WAY TO MANAGE CHILDREN.
AND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CARRY ON
WITH PROVIDING ESSENTIAL
SERVICES WHILE HAVING THEIR
CHILDREN SAFELY CARED FOR.
>> Question: BUT, LIKE, COMPARED
TO A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WHERE
YOU CAN SEPARATE KIDS BY DESKS,
FOR EXAMPLE, DIFFERENT RECESS
PERIODS, ET CETERA, LIKE, CAN
YOU JUST KIND OF FURTHER EXPLAIN
HOW SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN KIND OF
SHUT DOWN TO SOME DEGREE BUT
DAYCARES AREN'T.
>> SCHOOLS ARE SUSPENDED TO
ALLOW MEASURES TO CONTINUE.
THE THICK IS THE PURPOSE OF
SCHOOLS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE
PURPOSE OF CHILD CARE.
SO WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT
TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SETS OF
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS
ARE.
SO THAT IS WHY WE'RE TREATING
THEM SEPARATELY.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN
ACTUALLY DO WHAT KIDS NEED,
SCHOOL KIDS NEED, TO A LARGE
EXTENT VIRTUALLY.
SO THE MORE THAT YOU CAN PUT IN
PLACE EITHER SOCIAL DISTANCING
MEASURES ON SITE WITH KIDS WHO
ACTUALLY CAN FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
AND BE SPACED, AND/OR ALLOW FOR
MORE VIRTUAL EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT
AND A DIFFERENT RESPONSE TO
THEIR NEEDS.
SO THE NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT AND
THE ENVIRONMENT IS VERY
DIFFERENT.
AND THE RISK ASSESSMENT IS VERY
DIFFERENT.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY
OF BALANCING THE RISKS OF
DISCONTINUING SOMETHING WITH THE
RISKS OF CONTINUING SOMETHING.
THERE'S THE RISK EQUATION THAT
CHANGES AND IT MIGHT CHANGE AS
WE GET TO DIFFERENT STAGES
EITHER OF PREPARATION OR OF
COVID IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> WE HAVE MEMBER OF YUKON'S
DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
COMMUNITY WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK
A QUESTION THROUGH THE
INTERPRETER.
WE'LL TAKE THAT NOW.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
PROCESS -- I REALLY WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW
ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AND I'M
REALLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU'VE
PROVIDED AN INTERPRETER HERE.
AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING
HAPPENS AND WE CALL 811, HOW
WOULD THE DEAF AND HARD OF
HEARING PEOPLE CONTACT THROUGH
THE SYSTEM?
IS IT ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE
TEXT?
I DON'T THINK IT'S AVAILABLE
HERE FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF
HEARING AND HOW WOULD THAT
HAPPEN?
HOW DO WE CONTACT 811?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
AND IT'S NOT A QUESTION I CAN
ANSWER RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT I CAN DO IS MAKE SURE THAT
QUESTION IS ANSWERED.
AND WHAT I WOULD ALSO SAY IS
THAT THE ONLINE -- OF COURSE
THERE IS THE ONLINE SELF
ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR CONCERN,
PARTICULAR CONCERN ABOUT
INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS OR COVID.
SO THAT WILL ANSWER A LOT OF
QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER
INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE
IMMEDIATE RESOURCE.
THE OTHER POINT ARE WELL TAKEN
AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> JUST ONE QUICK RESPONSE.
I KNOW THAT THINGS ARE RAPIDLY
EVOLVING AND WE ARE TRYING TO
PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS
POSSIBLE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR MAKING THAT KNOWN TO US.
I WOULD SUGGEST AT THIS MOMENT
IN TIME WHAT WE HAVE SET UP IS
AN E-MAIL LINE AS WELL, WHICH IS
COVID19INFO@GOV.YKC.
IT'S EASIER FOR US TO GO TO
OTHER MEANS, BUT I'D SUGGEST YOU
USE THAT METHOD OF
COMMUNICATION.
IN THE MEANWHILE, WE'LL WORK OUT
SOME SOLUTIONS FOR YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PATIENCE.
[Speaking French]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR
UPDATE FOR TODAY.
IF MEDIA HAVE FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS, PLEASE JUST WAIT AS
WE FINISH THIS AND THEN I CAN
FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU DIRECTLY.
THERE WILL BE MORE UPDATES IN
THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS, AND
THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION
IS AVAILABLE AT YUKON.CA AS YOU
HEAR, SO PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR
THAT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
