Confusion reigned at the Yukon legislature Tuesday afternoon as the government suddenly revealed teachers can access rapid COVID-19 testing services.

Ted Hupé, the president of the Yukon Teachers’ Association (YTA), was confounded by the news.

“None of that has been presented to us,” he told the Star immediately following question period. “It’s a complete game changer.”

The news came from Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee following questioning from the Yukon Party.

She, along with Premier Sandy Silver, said the testing is available.

McPhee apparently made that clear during a meeting with the school council at École Whitehorse Elementary on Monday night, although it clearly didn’t trickle back to the YTA.

“There is rapid testing available to all Yukoners,” Silver emphatically told the house.

McPhee added, “We have indicated — I think I spoke about it (Monday) and I know that the minister of Education has recently — that rapid testing is available as recommended by the chief medical officer of health and their office. We will continue to abide by their recommendations to us.

“As noted (Monday) night to parents, it is available for teachers. I have spoken before about how rapid testing is in fact available when there is an outbreak to schools or to a class for the purpose of making sure that students are safe.”

However, Dr. Catherine Elliott isn’t a fan of the process. She made that clear during last Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, and it wasn’t clear if there are any restrictions on accessing the tests.

The government has consistently said it follows Elliott’s recommendations.

McPhee said the rapid testing has always been a part of the “comprehensive testing program” for the Yukon.

Hupé sounded angry and almost speechless at the news. He suggested the Yukon Employees’ Union (YEU) will also be interested in Silver’s and McPhee’s remarks about rapid testing.

Hupé said he had talked with John Streicker, the minister responsible for the Public Service Commsision, on Monday.

He said Streicker gave him a “flat no” on the issue of testing for teachers.

“He said the acting chief medical officer of health doesn’t like the test,” Hupé added.

Streicker told the Star late this morning he and Hupé were discussing the mandatory vaccinations policy for all territorial government employees, including teachers.

“We were discussing whether we could use testing instead of the vaccine, and the advice we had gotten from the CMOH is that you can’t use testing and PPE (personal protective equipment) in place of the vaccine,” Streicker said.

Asked whether he believes teachers should seek rapid testing, he said, “That is a medical question and not for me to answer.”

Calculating the number of teachers who may take leave without pay after Jan. 30, 2022 is difficult because an unknown number may opt to become fully vaccinated by that date, he said.

All government departments are aware they could lose staff after Jan. 30 and the need to draft contingency plans, Streicker added.

A key aspect is being overlooked in the discussion of the mandatory vaccinations issue, he suggested.

“What would happen if we didn’t take these measures and let the health care system get overwhelmed?” he asked. Yukoners would then risk losing those government employees’ and teachers’ services anyway, he said.

“We understand that leaving COVID unchecked puts a tremendous strain on the system,” Streicker said.

Steve Geick, the YEU’s president, was indeed interested in what the government had to say Tuesday, but had no immediate comment.

The rapid testing announcement was startling to many, since both opposition parties, particularly the NDP, had been pressing the government on the issue.

NDP Leader Kate White had been particularly aggressive over the issue. She openly mocked the Liberals Monday during question period, asking, “What science were they following?”

Scott Kent, the education critic for the Yukon Party, called the teachers’ rapid testing availability “one of the best-kept secrets in the Yukon.

“No one knows about it,” Kent said. “The teachers were apparently not informed.”

After question period ended, White said she was mystified by the rapid testing discussion she had just heard.

“This is new, but they’re trying to present it as if it’s always been available. But it wasn’t available (Monday),” she said with dry humour.

“I don’t understand it, but it’s another example of the communications process this government uses,”she added. “I think that’s the challenge – people just want to have clear answers, and they’re not getting them.”

Kent agreed with that perspective. He told the government he had attended Monday night’s school council meeting at École Whitehorse Elementary.

“I asked about rapid testing for teachers, and as a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, the acting chief medical officer of health told the Whitehorse Elementary School Council (Monday) night that, in fact, teachers are eligible for rapid testing.

“He advised that any teacher who has any symptoms and wants to get tested to go to the COVID testing centre here in Whitehorse, identify to the staff that they are a teacher, and then they will be eligible for the rapid testing that is available there.

“The only problem is that it is not only the minister (Education Minister Jeanie McLean) who didn’t know, which is common for this minister, but neither did the teachers,” Kent added.

“As far as we can tell, there has been no communication with teachers that they are indeed eligible for rapid testing. As of noon (Tuesday), yukon.ca made no mention of this.”

– With a file from Jim Butler. See related story.