Yukon students have been back in the classroom for four weeks.

On Wednesday afternoon, during the weekly COVID-19 press conference, chief medical officer Dr. Brendan Hanley and Education Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee addressed concerns they’ve heard from parents.

“This is a school year like no other, but we are pleased the majority of our schools have been able to return to full-time face-to-face learning and that all Yukon students are able to connect with their friends and teachers every day,” said McPhee.

“We are very fortunate here in the Yukon to be in a position where our students can return to the classroom. It truly takes a community to raise and educate our children.”

Hanley acknowledged the challenges of learning and teaching in an “altered environment,” but said we are all learning.

“One of the most challenging areas we’ve all been grappling with as parents and caregivers, or as children or staff in schools is knowing what the right thing to do is when children are sick,” said Hanley.

To assist parents and caregivers, Hanley introduced a chart, which he said all parents should receive by the end of the week. It’s designed to assist them in determining what sick means for a school child during this new normal.

“The literature to date, along with data accumulated from some large jurisdictions, does indicate to us which symptoms are safer and which symptoms are higher risk,” said Hanley.

“Thus, we have created a new tool based on a stoplight approach.”

The first step is to assess the child every morning before he or she goes to school. In the green situation, where there are no symptoms, the student can attend classes.

Hanley noted the green section also includes pre-existing symptoms from previous health conditions using the example of allergies.

The yellow light category includes a list of lower-risk symptoms.

“In these cases, keep the child at home and observe for 24 hours,” said Hanley. “If these symptoms resolve in 24 hours, children can return to school without having a COVID-19 test.

“If symptoms last more than 24 hours, children must get tested or stay home for 10 days before returning to school.”

The exception to this, Hanley said, is an isolated runny nose.

“We know that this symptom alone is only very rarely associated with COVID and we all know how common this symptom is during the fall and winter months,” he said.

In the red light scenario, COVID testing is strongly recommended.

Symptoms include a cough, fever and chills, difficulty breathing and a loss of taste and smell.

“With this information, we hope to help keep illness out of the school while keeping children in school as much as we can in the current context,” said Hanley.

“Students and staff continue to adapt and settle in very well. Every additional day that goes on well shows that our working premise that the best place for children to be during the school year, is in school.”

Meanwhile, six new charges were laid under the Civil Emergency Act last Friday and the past Tuesday, bringing the total to 12.

Two charges were given out last Friday: failure to self-isolate and failure to transit through the Yukon.

Four charges were laid Tuesday: two failures to self-isolate and two failures to behave in a manner consistent with the declaration.

“We will not provide information that may identify anyone, such as their name or where they received the charge,” the government said in a statement.

Travellers who are required to self-isolate must complete their entire 14-day isolation when they arrive back in the Yukon.

This includes people who spent time in B.C., the N.W.T. or Nunavut after they travelled from other regions of Canada or internationally.

People must also be reachable at the phone number and address they’ve provided on their declaration form throughout their period of self-isolation.

They may receive a spot check call from the government. These calls are separate from the Public Health Agency of Canada checks that are for people who have been outside the country.

As of Wednesday, the government had received 795 complaints:

• failure to self-isolate: 441;

• social gatherings over 10 inside or 50 outside: 23;

• failure to transit through the Yukon in 24 hours or stay on the designated route: 308;

• businesses failing to comply with orders: eight; and

• failure to abide by a declaration form or not permitted entry into the Yukon: 13.

A total of 45,685 travellers have come into Yukon, with resident travellers numbering 9,379, B.C. residents 8,615, N.W.T. residents 257 and other approved jurisdictions (Nunavut) 623.

There have been 261 decals distributed indicating out-of-territory vehicles permitted in the territory.

As of Wednesday, the COVID case count for the Yukon remained at 15, with everyone having recovered. There have been 3,020 tests administered.

From Sept. 9 to Sept.16, 129 people were tested at the Respiratory Assessment Centre in Whitehorse.

With Halloween creeping ever closer, Hanley said his office is working on some guidance so children and parents can celebrate the occasion even in a modified COVID context.