The Manitoba government wants to hear what the public thinks about its proposals to further ease public health orders related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The draft plan includes allowing gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outside, as well as removing the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days for some people arriving from outside Manitoba’s boundaries, including professional athletes. Regular licensing capacity for child-care centres would also be restored and occupancy limits for retail businesses would be removed, though physical distancing would still be required. The plan also calls for increasing occupancy for indoor and outdoor areas of restaurants and bars to 75 per cent of total capacity.
“There is a lot to take into consideration as we reopen our businesses and communities, safely,” said Premier Brian Pallister in a news release. “I am pleased to share with Manitobans the draft plane for Phase Three of Restoring Safer Services, and I encourage their input and advice as we move forward in our recovery efforts, together.”
The phase three draft also includes guidelines for faith-based and other cultural gatherings, pow-wows and small summer fairs and festivals.
“As we reopen the economy, we will have to adjust to some level of risk and each person has to decide the level of risk they are willing to accept,” said chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, who stressed that people must continue to practise proper handwashing and physical distancing.
The premier said looser public health orders may be rolled back if they result in greater spread of COVID-19.
“These measures may be paused and previous measures may be reintroduced,” said Pallister. “We do not want a COVID comeback, we want a Manitoba comeback,”
Detailed information on the plan for phase three can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restoring/.
Manitoba businesses can submit questions about how the plan applies to them by visiting engagemb.ca.
