Yukon reports two Omicron cases, expands booster program to those aged 18 and over

WHITEHORSE — Yukon health officials say two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been found in the territory as it expands its booster program to those aged 18 and over.

Acting chief medical officer of health Dr. Catherine Elliott says that the two people with the newest variant of concern have “mild illness” and are recovering at home.

Elliott says officials are “tailoring the duration of the isolation period” of those infected with Omicron, including managing household contacts more stringently. 

Yukon has now opened its booster program to all those 18 years and older for people who had their last vaccination shot at least six months ago. 

Elliott says people aged 18 to 29 will be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for their booster shots and those 30 and older will be given Moderna.

However, Elliott says the priority will be for children five to 11 to get their first shots, which began this week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2021.

The Canadian Press