The Yukon government continues to improvise its vaccine rollout strategy in the face of an uncertain supply.

At the government’s weekly COVID-19 briefing held Wednesday afternoon, Premier Sandy Silver and Dr. Brendan Hanley, the chief medical officer of health, said they were confident the territory could meet its goal of inoculating 75 per cent of the adult population willing to accept the vaccine by March or April.

A certain amount of flexibility has to be incorporated into the process, both said, because the federal government, which controls the supply, isn’t providing guaranteed fixed delivery schedules.

That’s not what Silver said the territory had arranged in December.

At that time, he and Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost indicated the territory would receive as many as 50,000 doses in a front-loaded shipment, instead of what Silver called “dribs and drabs.”

“You need to talk to Ottawa about that,” Silver said Wednesday in response to a question from the media.

Communities such as Watson Lake, Beaver Creek and Old Crow will be visited by roving mobile vaccination teams in the coming days. The government will be opening an online booking site to manage appointments.

Those bookings will rely on the information collected from Yukon health cards. Hanley said provisions were being made to allow new residents who don’t have Yukon cards to receive the shots, but he was vague on the details.

Arrangements were also being made to allow some British Columbia residents in border communities to attend the clinics.

Hanley said a service agreement exists for Lower Post, B.C., near Watson Lake, while procedures are being worked out for communities such as Atlin.

“Most people (attending the clinics) will have Yukon health cards,” Hanley said.

After the briefing, the government issued a news release that had more details than were presented at the news conference.

“A second shipment of 7,200 Moderna vaccine will arrive on January 14,” the release stated.

“As of (Tuesday), 685 residents and staff in long-term care homes had received their first dose of the vaccine.

“Some Yukoners can begin registering for COVID-19 vaccinations online starting (the past Wednesday) by going to yukon.ca/this-is-our-shot,” the release said.

“Mobile vaccine clinics will be in Watson Lake on January 18, Beaver Creek on January 21, and Old Crow on January 22.

“Vaccinations will also begin in Whitehorse on January 18 for select groups.”

For these first weeks in Whitehorse, immunizations will be available to:

• high-risk health care workers who may care for or be in contact with COVID-19 patients;

• older adults (starting with 70 years and older); and

• people who are marginalized and living in group settings like the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter and Whitehorse Correctional Centre.

Starting Thursday, appointments can be booked by calling 1-877-374-0425.

The Whitehorse clinic will open to the general public beginning Feb. 10.

Until that point, access will be restricted to those in the high-risk categories listed above.

In what will be disappointing news for some people, the COVID restrictions will not be loosened immediately for people receiving the vaccine.

“Yukoners must continue following health measures, such as wearing a mask,” Hanley said.

Quarantines will still need to be observed by anyone travelling as well, Hanley said.

He doesn’t anticipate the restrictive health measures changing until “herd immunity” levels of 75 per cent of adults are reached – and that will likely be by the spring or early summer.

The case counts for the Yukon remain at 70.

Sixty-three people have recovered, one person has died (in Watson Lake in 2020) and there are six active cases. Officials have tested 6,130 people.

All of the active cases have occurred in two clusters relating to acquiring the virus by travel outside the territory, and close contacts of the travellers.

There have been three new charges since the last COVID-19 update on Jan. 7.

New Civil Emergency Measures Act charges:  

• failure to self-isolate: 1; and

• failure to wear a mask: 2.

All told, enforcement statistics show the government had received 1,317 complaints as of Tuesday:

• failure to self-isolate: 733;

• gatherings over 10 inside or 50 outside: 35

• failure to transit through the Yukon in 24 hours or stay on their designated route: 422;

• businesses failing to comply with orders: 14;

• failure to abide by declaration form or were not allowed entry into the Yukon: 18; and

• failure to wear a mask: 61

Total incoming travellers number 67,490, including:

• resident travellers: 18,114;

• B.C. residents: 15,419;

• N.W.T. residents: 506;

• other approved jurisdictions: 339;

• non-residents staying: 11,609;

• non-residents transiting: 21,407; and

• other: 99.

There have been 363 windshield decals distributed indicating out-of-territory vehicles allowed in the Yukon.