COVID-19 Updates

Date: 02/02/2023

To limit potential patient and staff exposure to COVID-19, Yukon's hospitals continue to take extra precautions to maintain a safe level of services and ensure care is available to those who need it most.

For more details and specific definitions, please view the most recent visitor requirements below.


Inpatient Beds Available 


Please note: If you require urgent or acute care at any time, regardless of hospital capacity, you should seek care at your nearest hospital. The critically ill or injured will always receive care and will always receive priority attention. 

This table is accurate as of the morning of Thursday, February 2, 2023.  Inpatient bed availability can change at any time. 

 

  • Green - Standard working capacity and space available.
  • Yellow – An acute increase in demand for acute care services, space limited in some service areas.
  • Orange – A larger increase in demand for acute care services, space limited in some service areas.
  • Red – An unusually high demand for acute care services and space extremely limited/hospital full

Please check this website daily for updates on our services.

As a result of widespread community transmission, there could be higher emergency patient volumes and COVID-19 cases in hospital.

  • Yukon’s hospitals are safe places to access health care and services you need. If you need care, please visit your nearest hospital.
  • If you’re visiting an emergency department, please remember the critically ill or injured will always receive priority attention. If your needs are less urgent, you might experience a wait.
  • You can be assured the Yukon’s team of physicians, hospital staff and public health are working tirelessly to adapt our operations in a risk environment that can change quickly.
  • Our hospitals have a responsibility to take all necessary precautions to keep our patients and our people safe, and we remain prepared for potential increases in the need for hospital care.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 in the Yukon, visit www.yukon.ca/covid-19.

When you arrive, please perform hand hygiene and put on a hospital-provided, medical grade mask located at each entrance.  Registration staff will ask you a few questions.  Answering these questions will only take a moment and helps us ensure safe access to the hospital for everyone.

This information gives our team a 'heads up' so they can take the right precautions, put on the right protective equipment (if needed), and care for you in the best manner.

  • Wear a hospital mask at all times and when reminded to do so by your health care provider.
  • Perform hand hygiene when you enter and leave and several times in between. 
  • If you are being cared for in isolation, stay in your hospital room. This is for your safety and the safety of others as well.
  • Employees and physicians in direct contact with patients and the public wear additional eye protection.

Visitors are permitted between the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. 

Exceptions to allow visitors access outside these hours will be made for:

  • Visitors of palliative patients or the recently deceased
  • Visitors of Emergency department patients
  • Support persons
  • At the discretion of the direct care team

Number of visitors in a patient's room will be restricted to ensure care teams are able to safely perform their duties:

  • Multi-bed inpatient rooms will be limited to 2 visitors per patient at one time
  • Single bed inpatient rooms will be limited to 4 visitors at one time unless otherwise directed by the Nursing department
  • Emergency department and ICU rooms will be limited to 2 visitors per patient at one time

Visitors are required to follow all safety protocols in place while visiting or will be asked to leave the hospital.

Support Person: A visitor is necessary to facilitate safe patient care, including:

  • A Substitute Decision Maker (SDM)
  • A guardian of children under the age of 18
  • An individual providing assistance for patients with cognitive or physical disability
  • An individual who is supporting a post-anesthesia patient or a patient who has been administered a medication impacting decision making, and who requires discharge care instructions or support when leaving the facility
  • An individual who is supporting a patient experiencing a cognitively impairing mental health issue
  • An individual who is supporting a patient who has been formed under the Mental Health Act
  • An individual providing assistance to a patient for a trauma informed response

All visitors and support persons must:

  • Be symptom-free
  • Have not been asked to self-isolate in the past 7 to 10, or 20 days

If you are required to self-isolate for 7, 10, or 20 days as per the Government of Yukon's requirements, you should not come to the hospital until after your isolation period, unless you are seeking urgent care.

You will see come extra safety measures due to COVID-19 on the WGH Maternity Unit. These precautions help keep all patients, staff and visitors safe. 

Information is available on what to expect when you come to the hospital to give birth and how to prepare for delivery.

For more information, review the Information Sheet on COVID Safety Measures for Maternity Patients and Support Persons.

These measures are effective as of January 18, 2022 and subject to change.

Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate and use the online self-assessment tool at Yukon.ca, call 811 or contact their health care provider who will provide guidance according to individual circumstances. There are many unique situations that require guidance from public health officials.

People who are tested for COVID-19 should continue to self-isolate until they receive their test result or until a health care provider advises them they no longer need to.

For more information on COVID-19 testing, visit www.yukon.ca/covid-19.

Yukon Hospitals' top priority is the health and safety of our patients, staff, physicians, volunteers and our community. Our vaccination policy will help protect everyone’s health and advance the overall health system's recovery from the pandemic.

Full vaccination against COVID-19 is a condition of employment and privileging for Yukon Hospitals as of November 26, 2021.