Current COVID-19 Situation in Ross River
Ross River Dena Council advises all community members that as of 10:00 p.m. on June 21, 2021 the case count involving Ross River community members remains at two. There were no new confirmed cases today.
Please note, both individuals who tested positive are now self-isolating in Whitehorse, but were in Ross River in recent days and may have come into contact with others in the community, therefore contact tracing is under way and the following precautions are now being taken to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ross River:
- The Dena General Store is temporarily closed to the public until further notice, however beginning on Tuesday community members can arrange for curbside pickup or the delivery of groceries to your door – please call 969-2280 and/or send an email to dena.general@northwestel.net to place your order;
- Tu-Lidlini Petroleum advises that the gas station will have reduced hours from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. until further notice and that customers are strongly encouraged to use the Cardlock system to pay for fuel;
- Ross River Dena Council offices will remain closed to the public until further notice;
- Ross River Dena Council staff will continue to work from home until further notice; and
- Ross River Dena Council continues to engage with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the COVID Response Unit and efforts to help strengthen community-level support measures are now advancing.
These actions are being taken in response to the current outbreak in Whitehorse and the confirmation of cases in multiple rural communities including Ross River. Council continues to work with territorial health authorities and neighbouring communities to monitor the situation and takes this matter very seriously.
What is Contact Tracing?
Contact tracing is organized by the Yukon Centre for Disease Control in Whitehorse and involves reaching out to those who were in direct contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. If you are contacted, a representative of YCDC will play an instrumental role to provide you with helpful information and advise you about next steps.
Rapid Testing Begins This Week
A plan to mobilize rapid testing in Ross River is now advancing with the support of the Government of Yukon’s COVID Response Unit. The deployment of rapid testing equipment to Ross River will enable community members to receive test results in approximately 15 minutes, rather than the current 24-48 hour turnaround time. This will greatly enhance local efforts to detect COVID-19 in the community and could save lives.
Please note, rapid testing is less invasive than standard tests and will be available to everyone – whether you are feeling symptoms or not.
The current objective is to setup and launch rapid testing on Wednesday, June 23 at Ross River School (times TBA) and to test as many Ross River citizens as possible by Friday – this will lead to a much safer situation in the community. Please watch for additional information in the next update. Council encourages all Ross River citizens to please go for a test.
The Next 48 Hours
On Tuesday and Wednesday Council will be holding virtual meetings to review the current situation and to continue working with partners on efforts to accelerate a range of initiatives dedicated to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Ross River.
This includes:
- On Tuesday, the Dena General Store will be introducing new curbside pickup and delivery services for community members who wish to purchase groceries over the phone. If you wish to contact the store for more information or would like to place an order, please call 969-2280 or send an email to dena.general@northwestel.net;
- On Tuesday and Wednesday volunteers will be distributing front door signs around the community – these signs are ideal for anyone who is self-isolating and/or for elders and families who do not want visitors at this time. If you would like a sign for your door, please contact the Ross River COVID-19 Support Line at 747-0099;
- On Wednesday new “COVID-19 Risk Level” signage will be installed on the exterior of the RRDC Administration Building, Margaret Thompson Centre and the Dena General Store to help keep community members informed of the current situation;
- On Wednesday there will be a Youth Vaccination Clinic for ages 12-17 at the Ross River School. Parents and youth are encouraged to book an appointment by visiting the online booking system (found here) or you can contact the Health Centre at 969-4444 for assistance. If you have any questions about the Pfizer vaccine and/or Wednesday’s clinic, please contact the Health Centre for more information.
- Also on Wednesday, Ross River Dena Council will be establishing a new “COVID-19 Safety Stop” – a checkpoint for all vehicles entering the community. This effort will aim to ensure those arriving in Ross River are made aware of the current situation and the current guidelines aimed at keeping our elders and all community members safe. This checkpoint is being developed in collaboration with the Ross River RCMP detachment to help establish a safe and methodical approach to engaging incoming traffic during periods of elevated COVID-19 risk.
Upcoming Vaccination Opportunities in Ross River
Adults (Ages 18+)
Adults interested in upcoming vaccination opportunities are encouraged to contact the Ross River Health Centre at 969-4444. Clinics for adults (18 and older) are organized on demand, and can be arranged quickly if enough community members express interest.
Youth (Ages 12-17)
The Youth Vaccination Clinic scheduled for Wednesday, June 23 at Ross River School from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. will proceed as planned. To book an appointment, please visit the online booking system here. You can also contact the Health Centre at 969-4444 if you need assistance or would like more information about the Pfizer vaccine and/or other upcoming youth vaccination opportunities. The information session that was organized for Tuesday, June 22 has been canceled due to the current COVID-19 situation in Ross River.
Other COVID-19 Considerations
Council recognizes that as part of the new normal, outbreaks may occur in Whitehorse and/or rural communities in the weeks and months ahead. When an outbreak occurs, Council asks that everyone remain calm, continue to follow the Safe 6 +1 and that we all work together to help protect vulnerable community members during these difficult times.
Here are some additional considerations and resources to help Keep Ross River Safe:
- If you or someone you know had really mild symptoms and tested negative for COVID-19 this is good news, however it is not the end of the story. If symptoms get worse in the days (and weeks) following your test, it’s a good idea to self-isolate and call the Health Centre at 969-4444 to arrange for another test – it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry;
- For the latest COVID-19 Self-Isolation Guidelines: https://yukon.ca/en/self-isolation-covid-19;
- If you see someone who was known to be self-isolating but may not be following the current the self-isolation guidelines, you can report this activity here;
- If you live with others and are not able to self-isolate, please inform the Health Centre or Ross River Dena Council and efforts will be made to arrange for temporary self-isolation options; and
- Anyone seeking mental health and wellness support are encouraged to call the LifeWorks Crisis Support Line at 1-844-751-2133 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week) or call (867) 332-5468 to reach the Mental Health, Counselling and Crisis Support Line for Ross River, Pelly Crossing, Carmacks and Faro citizens.
Ross River COVID-19 Support Line
Council is anticipating that a number of community members will be self-isolating this week and may have questions and/or need assistance with essential tasks such as grocery shopping. The RRDC COVID-19 Support Line has been set up for precisely this reason, and it is encouraged that anyone who is in self-isolation please call 747-0099 if you need assistance.
How to Reach RRDC Staff
If you need to reach a member of our team this week, please call our main switchboard at 969-2277 ext. 200 and leave a message. A representative of RRDC will return your call as soon as possible. You can also try sending an email. A staff directory can be found here.
Volunteers Needed
Ross River Dena Council has established the RRDC COVID-19 Action Plan Working Group to advise Council and help coordinate COVID-19 community outreach and support efforts during this difficult period. If you would like more information about this Working Group or would be interested in volunteering at the community level, please send an email to the Working Group Co-Chairs Verna Nukon at vernanukon@gmail.com and/or Dylan Loblaw at dylanloblaw@gmail.com. You can also reach us by calling the Ross River COVID-19 Support Line at 747-0099 at any time.
Thank you,
Ross River Dena Council