This new medical boss might not be the same as the old medical boss.

The Yukon’s new chief medical officer of health, Dr. Sudit Ranade was introduced to the territorial public on Wednesday afternoon as the first COVID-19 briefing in weeks was held.

Ranade spoke to the Star Thursday morning about how he plans to approach his new position as a stranger in a strange land.

Ranade had been a regional medical officer of health in Southern Ontario, near London, for the past 
10 years.

He spent a few weeks here in the Yukon as a locum before accepting an offer to replace Dr. Brendan Hanley, the last permanent chief medical officer of health here.

Dr. Catherine Elliott had been filling in as interim chief medical officer for several months following Hanley’s departure in the summer of 2021, but abruptly ended that tenure about two months ago – without explanation.

Hanley, of course, left his position to run for the federal Liberals and became the MP for the Yukon following last fall’s election.

In an interesting coincidence, Ranade also has ties to the federal Liberal party. Like Hanley, he ran for election last fall, but his bid was unsuccessful.

When he spoke to the Star Thursday, he downplayed his political connections.

Ranade said he was a party member for “all of five weeks or so” as he made his bid for the nomination and to run in the election. He didn’t indicate whether he is still a member.

He acknowledged that could be of concern for Yukoners, but said it shouldn’t be. He suggested partisan considerations won’t be a factor in his work.

“It was just an interesting chance to do something different,” Ranade said.

It gave him some exposure and understanding of the political side of the world, he said – something he considers to be invaluable.

Ranade said he went into the public health field both because “he liked science” and “it was an opportunity to help more people.”

He was interested in the territorial job here, he said, because it represents a “different level of service” and a chance to advance his career.

As a regional medical officer of health in Ontario, he was one of 34 such officers. In that province, each health unit tends to act as an independent entity subject to minimal supervision from provincial authorities.

Now, as he said, he’s “one of 13 officers in Canada,” a significant upgrade in responsibility 
and status.

Ironically, though, he was responsible for a greater population in his position back in Ontario than he is as the top doctor in the Yukon.

“It’s a different place in the system,” he said.

Ranade said his philosophical approach to public health is that it’s “at its best when it does practical things.”

He also said he’s a big believer in “embedding public health in the consciousness of the general public.”

Ranade was also enthusiastic talking about his approach to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

He had some interesting takes on contentious measures such as masking, lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

On masks, Ranade said he believes they were useful “when they were used properly.”

Oftentimes, that hasn’t been the case, he added.

Even cloth masks, which have been criticized periodically, are useful for containing an individual’s own respiratory droplets, Ranade said.

They’re less effective at protecting you from other people, he added, but can still be an important symbol, and the psychological effect is important to many individuals.

“It’s a way of saying you care about other people,” Ranade said. “Some people like having a 
visible symbol.”

He was somewhat ambivalent on the use of lockdowns as well. Ranade said lockdowns are “a very, very serious measure, with significant detrimental effects, particularly on mental health.”

As for vaccine mandates, his first act in the Yukon was to recommend the easing of the remaining vaccine mandates for so-called high-risk settings such as long-term care homes, hospitals and congregate living settings, such as shelters and group homes.

As with lockdowns and masks, Ranade said, the “underlying thinking has changed and shifted” on the subject of vaccine mandates.

He did say, though, he’s a fan of vaccines in general, although the thinking on their importance has shifted as well.

While there were hopes originally the COVID vaccines could prevent infections as well as reducing the severity of symptoms, Ranade said it’s become clear with the Omicron variant that vaccines can’t be relied on to prevent infection.

They are still important, though, to manage the severity of the symptoms, and he continued to encourage Yukoners to keep their vaccinations up to date.

Fourth shots are now available to all adults in the Yukon over the age of 18.

Ranade said some of his other priorities include mental health and substance abuse issues in 
the territory.

He’s aware of the opioid and recreational drug crisis here, and plans to focus more attention on it.

Ranade qualified that statement by saying no one should expect “quick and easy solutions.”