Effective Friday, the bubble the Yukon has had with British Columbia will be halted, and all people travelling or returning to the territory will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

Premier Sandy Silver and chief medical officer Dr. Brendan Hanley made the announcement at a press conference held Thursday morning.

Silver said his government has been monitoring closely the rising cases of COVID-19 in other regions across Canada.

“Over the last week, the number of COVD-19 cases has been rising here and across the country,” said Silver. “In some cases, very dramatically.

“We have been watching other jurisdictions closely and in particular, we have been thinking of our northern neighbours in Nunavut.”

Hanley said he and his team have been watching the daily tally in B.C., analyzing the numbers and data and watching what restrictions were being applied in which areas.

Projections in B.C., Hanley said, are for a continued surge.

“So even though we have not had cases directly linked to the B.C. bubble, we recognize that the risk is increasing while at the same time we are seeing more Yukoners identified as contacts of cases down south,” said Hanley. “Or, as contacts in cases linked to travel.

“We are aware that this worsening situation poses an increasing risk of introduction of COVID in our territory. Given the increasing risk of multiple cases or outbreaks in Yukon and the increasing case activity in B.C., I therefore gave my recommendation to cabinet (Wednesday) that government consider suspending the bubble until such a time we see cases in B.C. stabilize.

“We will need to get to a point where we are once again comfortable that cases are contained and the curve is once more flattened.”

The Yukon still remains in a state of emergency, which Silver said has been “integral to our government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Our actions throughout the pandemic have been guided by epidemiological data and the recommendations of the chief medical officers,” said Silver.

“As you are aware, the situation changes rapidly. COVID-19 numbers are accelerating quickly in jurisdictions across Canada.

“In light of these surges, and following the recommendation of the Yukon’s chief medical officer of health, we are ending the B.C. territory mobility bubble and expanding the self-isolation requirements to all those entering our territory.”

Silver admitted it is not welcome news to a lot of Yukoners but “we must consider what is needed to keep Yukoners safe.

“The new cases we have seen in Yukon recently, combined with cases in Nunavut and British Columbia and across the country made this a necessary decision,” the premier said.

“I also heard (B.C.) Premier John Horgan’s call to restrict non-essential travel within Canada.

“We support B.C.’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in that province and we must do our part to contribute to the national efforts to contain this disease.”

Travellers and Yukon residents returning home must have a self-isolation plan in place before entering the territory, and all will be required to sign a declaration.

Critical service workers do not need to self-isolate as long as they are following the guidelines put in place by the chief medical officer of health and are travelling and returning to Yukon for work purposes.

People transmitting through the Yukon are still required to stay on the designated route – that has not changed, Silver said.

Residents of communities of the B.C., Yukon border areas such as Atlin and Lower Post who rely on Whitehorse to access amenities and essential services will be able to still enter the Yukon without being required to self-isolate provided they have not travelled to the rest of British Columbia or Canada in the last 14 days.

Both Hanley and Silver recommended that Yukoners who had travel plans to B.C. to reconsider their itineraries – whether it is to cancel them or rearrange them.

Silver said the decision to close the border was not made lightly, and recognizes it will have an impact on Yukon businesses. He encouraged people to shop local during the holiday season.

Hanley became choked up when speaking of the difficulty of the recommendation to end the B.C. bubble.

“These decisions are so difficult to make and we know,” said a teary Hanley. “We know there will be family and friends, students and visitors with broken hearts.

“But I feel this decision is in the overall best interest of Yukoners at this moment in these difficult days.

“It does feel like going backward. But in other ways, this will give us more capacity here to meet the COVID threat and allow us to continue to move forward.”