Whitehorse Daily Star

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Dr. Catherine Elliott

COVID outbreak reported at Copper Ridge Place

Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting chief medical officer of health, has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Copper Ridge Place long-term care home following the identification of two cases.

By Whitehorse Star on January 13, 2022

Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting chief medical officer of health, has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Copper Ridge Place long-term care home following the identification of two cases.  

The current situation is contained, and routine outbreak management procedures are in place, including screening and testing protocols.

Additional information has been shared with residents, staff and families.

(Reading from briefing notes during Wednesday’s weekly news briefing, Elliott initially said the outbreak had occurred at Whistle Bend Place. She relayed the corrected information later during the briefing.)

Yukoners are reminded that the best way to protect themselves and the people around them is to make sure their COVID-19 vaccination is up to date, including the booster dose, self-isolate if they are unwell, and practise the Safe 6 plus 1. 

“We are working closely with the Copper Ridge Place staff and administration to manage this outbreak,” Elliott said.

“I am reassured by the rapid implementation of control measures and am grateful to staff and residents for their co-operation.”

The government reported 471 known active cases on Wednesday.

Comments (13)

Up 5 Down 2

T on Jan 18, 2022 at 10:28 am

"Omicron is super contagious. And if “everyone is going to get it” then this is really bad news for any old folks home that has even 1 case. I hope Copper Ridge can keep it under control. It’s certainly not anything a mature adult should be laughing about."

Weren't you one laughing at people who lost their jobs due to the mandates? You have a really nasty habit of constructing strawman arguments, putting words into other peoples' mouths in an effort to misrepresent them, implying that they lack intelligence etc. You can only argue in bad faith. You have no actual argument beyond the hypothetical.

"Guess what Einstein - if they don’t declare it an outbreak and enact measure it will next be 30+ cases."

I don't think you know the definition of the word 'outbreak'. You are actually, unironically, promoting the spread of fear and misinformation to people who are here seeking facts. Investors like myself have a term for people like you, we call them 'FUDDERS', and call them out routinely for the BS they like to spread, much like you're doing now with your imaginary scenarios.

Up 12 Down 7

Buenos ‘Bias’ Amigo! on Jan 15, 2022 at 10:00 pm

Hey Roy - You are assuming things not in evidence. You are drawing an inference based your biased interpretation of Matthew’s comments which were not intended for you to perceive as you wish.

Engage the conversation to elicit understanding and more positive challenge.
You might benefit from reading something to understand something rather than reading to refute something. You will find you have a lot more room in your head for the important things…

Up 17 Down 10

Matthew on Jan 15, 2022 at 7:42 pm

@Roy your comments are all about what ifs, purely hypothetical. News flash, 94% of deaths are aged 65+, they ARE the most vulnerable. Now how many died alone last year with covid? See the key word, WITH and not FROM. Why would the working class be shut down for 2 years on and off, when clearly, it's not deadly to the rest of us. We've printed off so much money that 30,000 deaths should NOT justify the other 38 Million Canadians into debt so high we will NEVER get out of it. (IMF will bail us out) But it seems you don't mind. So you go ahead and keep blindly believing the perpetual liars you call your master..

Up 18 Down 4

Mike on Jan 15, 2022 at 2:04 pm

Can the good doctor explain to me why my rapid tests on which I used 3 different things - Corona beer, tap water and soda pop and within 4 minutes all rapid tests showed positive for covid? And don't take my word for it try it yourself.

Up 14 Down 16

Roy on Jan 14, 2022 at 6:24 pm

@Matthew

The same people who say “everyone is going to get it” and “only the elderly and chronically ill need strict protection” are the same to laugh when Copper Ridge goes into lockdown because of 2 cases.

Guess what Einstein - if they don’t declare it an outbreak and enact measure it will next be 30+ cases. And then you armchair quarterbacks will be in here saying “why didn’t the government do anything earlier when they knew there was 2 cases in the building?!”

Omicron is super contagious. And if “everyone is going to get it” then this is really bad news for any old folks home that has even 1 case. I hope Copper Ridge can keep it under control. It’s certainly not anything a mature adult should be laughing about.

Up 17 Down 6

Really! on Jan 13, 2022 at 4:52 pm

My heart goes out the residents, families of the residents and staff at Copper Ridge Place. I wish speedy recoveries to all. Meanwhile, we are told continually that our schools are safe, so safe in fact that the government will no longer be sharing any information about positive cases and exposure notices. My son’s class got one of the last notices. Along with it was an exposure notice for the staff room. But we are told that Covid is not spreading in schools. We received a letter from the Department of Education last night that said they will use surveillance of schools to determine next steps. What exactly is this surveillance? What metrics will be used to determine if a school needs to go to online learning? It sure won’t be number of cases because that doesn’t need to be reported. Our schools are safe - really???

Up 23 Down 17

Matthew on Jan 13, 2022 at 4:08 pm

2! 2 is an outbreak! But how can this be!? Aren't they all vaxed? LOL

Up 23 Down 7

Jeff Bikaboom on Jan 13, 2022 at 3:46 pm

I know people that work at long term care facilities in BC. At one of the facilities there was recently an outbreak with over 30 cases. There was no deaths and no hospitalizations. They compared it to a minor cold. The only issue was short staff because so many workers tested positive. Hopefully we will see the same 'minor cold' trend in the Yukon.

Up 26 Down 12

bonanzajoe on Jan 13, 2022 at 3:40 pm

Oh and Doc Elliott, with the shortage of Doctors in Yukon, is there not something more important for you to fill your days? Get out of the Legislation building and back to the clinic.

Up 23 Down 12

bonanzajoe on Jan 13, 2022 at 3:38 pm

We're all eventually going to get it, so let's just give it a rest. This so called safe 6 thing has been practiced now for almost 2 years. Over 80% of Yukoners have been vaxxed. It should be apparent now that it is the vaxxed that are spreading this thing, not the unvaxxed. So, stop with the BS Doc Elliot and Libs. We the citizens have had enough and will soon just go back to our regular lives. Y'all can spew your fear and BS to the wild life. See if they care.

Up 26 Down 11

Mike on Jan 13, 2022 at 3:09 pm

This government and medical professional and all their vaccines and crap have stopped nothing, slowed down nothing nor will it. These articles are such a waste of time

Up 66 Down 21

My Opinion on Jan 13, 2022 at 1:50 pm

Why is it "Safe Six Plus One" Why not Safe Seven? Is it that they just can't get past the sexual connotation of Safe Sex? I think so, how childish. How about you all grow up and stop with the word games. You are making decisions that adversely effect peoples lively hoods, grow up and take this seriously, it's not a game.

Up 88 Down 24

rod on Jan 13, 2022 at 1:33 pm

At this point I don't think anyone cares anymore. School children and staff no longer have to report positive covid tests but are encouraged just to stay home for the 7 days (or how ever many days its been switched to now).
Even if I wanted to take a rapid Covid test I can't as they were all given to First Nations. Also it was stated that "Yukon schools remain low risk" Hahaha ya right. The last Yukon Government Covid update was just a list of 6 or so schools where Covid had been transmitted. Let's just call it what it is now.... A common cold!

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