Drive-thru COVID-19 testing in Whitehorse to continue into December

The Yukon government says its drive-thru COVID-19 testing facility will continue to operate for at least two more weeks, and may continue at a new location in the new year.

The facility opened last Sunday in a car wash bay at Centennial Motors on the Alaska Highway in response to growing demand for testing, according to a government news release.

Officials said earlier this week that the facility would be open daily for one week. On Thursday, a government news release said the drive-thru facility will stay open for a couple more weeks beyond next Sunday, "to meet the demand for testing."

The release also says it could be extended further, "at a possible new location into 2021."

Yukon has seen a flurry of new COVID-19 cases in the last week, bringing the territory's total case count to 39 as of Thursday. Fifteen cases are considered active.

Premier Sandy Silver said this week that Yukon is now in its "second wave" of the pandemic. Starting Tuesday, masks will be mandatory in all indoor public places in Yukon.

Potential exposure notices have also been issued for several locations in Whitehorse and Dawson City, Yukon, in recent weeks. People who have been at those places on certain identified days and times have been asked to get tested if they show symptoms.

The government says that, as of Thursday, an average of 90 people have been tested every day.

People who cannot access the drive-thru or prefer a clinic visit can call the testing assessment centre in Whitehorse at 867-393-3083.