The Yukon saw a successful socially distant Easter long weekend, with no fines issued for breaking COVID-19 rules and no new virus cases.

The territory will not see restrictions lifted anytime soon, however.

“This isn’t easy for any of us, and there absolutely is a long road ahead of us, but by staying vigilant today, we will save lives, guaranteed,” Premier Sandy Silver told a media briefing Tuesday afternoon.

He provided an update of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside Dr. Brendan Hanley, the territory’s chief medical officer.

As of Tuesday, there were no new cases in the Yukon and only two active cases, with six people now fully recovered.

The territory’s numbers remain at eight cases, with 832 tests conducted and 18 tests pending.

While this is positive news, Silver said, the government is not looking to relax restrictions.

“Some conversations seem to turn to when this situation might change … I know this is something Yukoners are anxious to hear as well,” Silver said.

“I look forward to the day I can sit here and say restrictions are ending, but we can’t do it until it’s safe, and we aren’t there yet.”

Yukoners have so far succeeded in following physical distancing recommendations, and Silver said he is cautiously optimistic.

The RCMP reportedly received fewer calls than usual last weekend, and only five complaints were lodged from the public.

RCMP officers were posted at the Haines Pass over the weekend, but found Yukoners to be complying with health orders.

Silver noted some concern that Yukoners might let down their guard, with the recent change toward good weather.

Hanley addressed some public concern that there may be more cases in the Yukon than announced.

“We know that testing will never be perfect, and cases may well be missed, but we continue to be confident that community spread has not arrived here,” Hanley said.

In the early days of COVID-19 prevention in the Yukon, the chief medical officer said that people with travel history were prioritized for testing.

Now, with fewer travellers returning home, Hanley said the risk of imported cases is droping, and testing criteria have been expanded to include vulnerable populations.

This means people in rural Yukon, continuing care and environmentally vulnerable populations are prioritized.

He added that testing too aggressively can lead to “too much noise” in the landscape for health officials.

It’s possible that the criteria required in the Yukon’s online self-screening tool will be adjusted to reflect these changes, so a wider variety will be instructed to request a test.

About 100 people have been tested for COVID-19 in April, a decrease in tests from March. This is likely due to the reduction in travellers.

“We are still, by far, one of the highest jurisdictions for testing rates in the country and we continue to encourage testing for the written indications,” Hanley said.

The Yukon still has an ample supply of test kits, he added, and there are no longer delays at the B.C. laboratory where tests are conducted.

Hanley noted there is a small delay in transporting the test kits to B.C., due to reduced flight schedules.

There are currently only 18 tests pending results, a low number Hanley hopes to maintain.

The respiratory assessment centre, opened last month at the Yukon Convention Centre, has also been mostly quiet, Hanley said.

This is a signal that the influenza season is waning, with fewer people experiencing illness overall.

The territory is continuing efforts to centralize the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), and Hanley said there is no shortage at this time.

This doesn’t mean health care workers should ramp up equipment use, but should maintain “rational use,” he said.

Silver said the federal government has agreed not to provide PPE on a per-capita basis, which would put the territories with low populations at a disadvantage.

Hanley was asked whether the territory would consider reducing alcohol sales in an effort to prevent an increase in domestic violence.

He said such a move would be harmful to people with alcohol dependencies. The territory is looking to limit domestic violence using other support measures.

Yukoners who would normally visit health centres for immunizations should continue to do so, Hanley said.

Those who require doctor appointments should call their practitioner to determine whether an in-person appointment is possible.

Hanley reiterated the following six steps to staying safe for Yukoners:

“1. Practise physical distancing – keep two metres or six feet away from everyone who’s not in your household.

“2. Wash your hands frequently.

“3. Stay home when you’re sick.

“4. Don’t gather in groups of 10 or more people.

“5. Don’t travel to communities unless it’s essential.

“6. Self-isolate when you’re required to – either because you’ve travelled into the territory or because you are a contact of someone diagnosed with or being investigated for COVID-19.”

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