As Canada’s Yukon territory braces for the coronavirus, residents have been asked keep one caribou’s length apart from each another. (For those not familiar with the dimensions of the reindeer, that’s roughly equivalent to two husky lengths or eight loaves of sourdough bread.)
The light-hearted advice is part of a viral public health awareness campaign that seeks to inform residents and pay homage to the region’s cultural history.
The guidelines from Yukon’s department of health also advised residents that keeping the distance of four ravens – the official bird of the territory – will help prevent transmission of the virus.
The most recent ad, released at the end of April, advises residents to maintain a distance of one cord of wood – the standard measurement for chopped firewood. “A cord of wood is actually 2.4 meters/8 feet long, but extra space means extra-safe,” the poster says.
Despite the recent lockdown-inspired popularity of home baking, sourdough bread was included to reflect the baked delicacy’s deep historical ties to the region. Early miners and their families fiercely protected sourdough starters and anyone who survived a winter north of the Arctic Circle became known as a “sourdough”.
(Provincial authorities also caution that while a one caribou – 2m – is a safe distance in terms of social distancing and Covid-19 mitigation, Yukoners should keep more than 90m away from actual caribou.)
Because of its geographic isolation and low population density, the Yukon territory has only recorded 11 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but has put measures in place to limit travellers at its borders with British Columbia and Alaska, where tourists often arrive.
The Yukon isn’t the only region drawing iconic figures and images to remind the public of physical distancing. When public health officials in Toronto first began asking residents to avoid congregating, they used the length of one hockey stick as a reminder – a measurement that has been updated to three Canada geese.
