Yukon NDP Leader Kate White told the News by phone on Feb. 12 that she is calling for a return to mask mandates in health-care settings based on evidence that the territory’s main hospital is “absolutely bursting at the seams.”
The Yukon NDP put out a press release on Feb. 13 reiterating White’s decision. Her hope is that taking action following extraordinary measures by health officials will absorb the surge, per the release.
Paramedics have been pulled in and hallway medicine has been occurring for nearly the last week at the Whitehorse General Hospital. The Yukon government cabinet has technically permitted two long-term care homes to become hospital overflow space as the hospital in the Yukon’s capital grapples with an uptick in demand on the emergency room and inpatient units.
Prompted by an advisory put out by the Yukon Hospital Corporation, the News published a story late on Feb. 8 about the hospital pulling in emergency medical services workers and providing care in makeshift spaces and the cabinet’s decision to deem Thomson Centre and Whistle Bend Place as hospitals.
In response to the story, White took to Facebook to reiterate what she has been saying in recent months about “health care is crumbling” under the Yukon Liberal Party.
“It’s as bad as it’s ever been,” she told the News by phone on Feb. 12.
Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee was in transit, so she wasn’t available for an interview on Feb. 13.
Jordan Owens in cabinet communications said by phone that the Yukon government will listen to advice of chief medical officer of health Dr. Sudit Ranade and experts.
Ranade was away on Feb. 13, thus he wasn’t available for an interview prior to the print deadline for this story, according to department communications.
White has technically been an opposition MLA for more than a decade, despite her caucus continuing to prop up the Liberal government through a territorial confidence-and-supply agreement, known as CASA, since 2021.
With respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza co-circulating, White said the Yukon is facing a “big question” right now.
“How come we’re in a jurisdiction where masking is not required in a health-care setting?” she asks.
“We’re one of the only jurisdictions in the country that’s not requiring masks, like masking in health-care settings.”
When asked to back the claim, Yukon NDP communications pointed to a handful of examples including in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and throughout Ontario.
In early October, British Columbia brought in medical mask requirements for health-care workers, visitors, contractors and volunteers in patient-care areas in health-care facilities, programs and services. Visitors must wear masks in common areas and for indoor events in communal areas at long-term care homes. Outside of health-care settings, wearing a mask is a personal choice, per the B.C. government website.
Later in October, Manitoba made it mandatory for health-care staff working in hospitals, care homes and other health-care facilities to wear a medical mask during direct interactions with patients, residents and clients. Workers providing care in services run by regional health authorities also must wear masks when giving care, according to a bulletin by Manitoba Shared Health.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yukon government introduced mandatory masking in all indoor public places on Dec. 1, 2020. Flash forward, then it changed course.
As for the hospital, per the Yukon Hospital Corporation, masks have been optional in public areas of Yukon’s hospitals since May 16, 2023.
“You’ll also notice that many of our teams may or may not be wearing masks. Hospital personnel will assess the risk and use appropriate personal protective equipment (including masks) as required before providing direct patient care,” reads the hospital corporation’s May 2023 announcement.
“Patients or visitors with respiratory symptoms should put on hospital-provided mask. Please continue to follow the direction of your health provider. Likewise, you can let your health provider know if you would feel more comfortable with masks.”
The announcement continues: “There is low risk from respiratory illness in the Yukon. Our team arrived at this decision based on evidence and infection control expertise as well as guidance from our physician leaders, Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Yukon Communicable Disease Centre. Continuous masking in healthcare settings may be required in the future should the situation call for it.”
White believes that time has come.
She also wonders who’s responding to ambulance calls if paramedics are supporting the hospital.
“Knowing right now that the folks who are providing frontline health services are facing the stress and just the sheer numbers of folks coming into their workplace. Yeah, I believe that we should go back to masking,” she said, adding that includes any health-care setting that deals with vulnerable populations.
White will continue to keep the government afloat through CASA.
“I don’t know that having a government fall right now would solve that problem,” she said.
In an interview on Sept. 1, 2023, Ranade told the News that he was expecting a respiratory season like the previous year.
As for a return of mask mandates, Ranade noted last fall that health-care facilities tend to contain more sick or frail people and there are some situations where he does advise masking such as for certain procedures, for people showing symptoms or in outbreak settings.
He suggested two game-changers: if COVID-19 variants against which the vaccines don’t offer protection start circulating and what happens if the health-care system looks like it’s going to be overwhelmed.
He said he doesn’t expect broader restrictions and lockdowns given “all the harms” associated with that.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com