Two Whitehorse dining establishments have something to brag about this week: apparently, the food is so good, it’s worth breaking quarantine for.
Three additional charges were laid under the Civil Emergency Measures Act last week.
A woman was charged after allegedly visiting Earls Restaurant on Oct. 28 before the end of her 14-day quarantine. The woman was fined $575.
In a second unrelated incident, a woman en route to Alaska was fined $575 for allegedly travelling off-route in order to stop at a Tim Hortons on Nov. 3.
A third individual, from Alberta, was also charged $575 on Halloween for allegedly failing to quarantine for 14 days. None of the charges have been proven in court.
At a COVID-19 update on Nov. 4, Premier Sandy Silver reiterated the importance of the quarantine measures.
“I cannot stress how important it is to self isolate as required. It’s not a suggestion and it’s not something you can choose to ignore if it is inconvenient,” he said. “When you fail to self-isolate, you put your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues and fellow Yukoners at risk. We have had a low case count in the Yukon so far due to the great efforts of Yukoners. But we are not out of the woods yet.”
The government also announced it will change how the public is informed of new positive COVID-19 cases. Previously, the public health has issued a press release to local media.
Going forward, the numbers will be updated on the government’s website but not announced in a separate release unless public health believes there is a risk to the public.
Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley said updates will continue to be given at the weekly Wednesday press conferences.
“I think it’s really important for us to communicate risk, and to add to that risk to be the focus of our communications, and not necessarily case counts,” he said. “Every time we have to do a press release or a press briefing, of course, that’s a diversion from other important work that we’re doing.”
With files from Jackie Hong
Contact Haley Ritchie at haley.ritchie@yukon-news.com