If you haven’t finished your back-to-school shopping list, put face masks back on the list, as Manitoba will soon require people to wear face masks in all indoor public places, including schools, in an effort to mitigate the impacts of an expected fourth wave of COVID-19 infections.
Provincial employees who work with vulnerable populations, including children, will also be required to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 31 at the latest or submit to COVID-19 testing as often as three times per week.
Manitoba is also going to expand the list of facilities, events and services that will require people attending to show proof of vaccination.
“We are watching case counts climb in other jurisdictions around us and we are hearing projections that are dire,” said Premier Brian Pallister at an Aug. 24 news conference. “We’ve seen this pattern before.”
The specific dat that the reinstated mask mandate will take effect and the list of activities and places that will require vaccination will be made public later this week, said chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussiin.
“We certainly see now that a fourth wave is inevitable here in Manitoba,” he said. “Our vaccine rate is not rising quickly enough.”
Students in all grades will have to wear masks when classes resume in September, as will teachers, support staff, custodians and bus drivers, who must also be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31, meaning they have to receive their second shot by Oct. 17 at the latest.
Other employees requiring vaccinations will include early childhood educators at licensed facilities, some Manitoba Justice employees, workers at congregate residential settings or group homes, and health care workers including doctors, nurses, other professionals and support staff. Pallister said all government staff who work in the legislature and MLAs will also be subject to the vaccination or testing requirements.
Achieving herd immunity has become less likely due to the more highly transmissible Delta variant, said Roussin, as well as the areas in the province with low vaccine uptake.
He said he hopes that workers will choose to get vaccinated rather than submit to regular testing.
“This is now a pandemic largely of the unvaccinated,” he said. “Very few of our cases are fully vaccinated. Even fewer are in hospital. Almost none are in ICU.”
