Last week, the Manitoba government said as COVID numbers continue trending downward, officials would look at easing some restrictions.
Today, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says while the pandemic response level will remain “red”, he detailed some of the changes.
“Restaurants and licenced premises to open at 25 percent capacity, outdoor rinks to open for casual sports and organized practices, places of worship to hold regular services at 10 percent capacity or 50 people maximum, whichever is lower,” Roussin stated.
Other changes include:
• allowing gyms, fitness centres and yoga studios to reopen at 25 per cent capacity;
• allowing indoor sporting facilities such as rinks, gymnastic clubs and martial arts studios to reopen at 25 per cent capacity for individual instruction only;
• allowing self-help groups for persons dealing with addictions or other behaviours to hold meetings at 25 per cent capacity of the premise where meetings take place;
• allowing museums, art galleries and libraries to operate at 25 per cent capacity;
• allowing personal service businesses, such as those providing pedicures, electrolysis, cosmetic application, tanning, tattooing or massage services to reopen at 25 per cent capacity;
• allowing photographers and videographers to offer services to individual clients or those residing in the same household in addition to providing services at weddings, with the exception of visiting client homes; and
• allowing the film industry to operate fully with physical distancing and other safety measures in place.
The easing of the restrictions will take effect Friday morning at 12:01.
These changes are in addition to current guidelines in place over the last 3 weeks:
• household visitor restrictions of up to two designated people,
• visits of five people plus members of a household on an outdoor private property,
• retail stores open at 25 per cent capacity or 250 people maximum with adequate physical distancing, and
• non-regulated health services, hair salons and barbershops open with 25 per cent capacity and adequate physical distancing.
U.K. variant detected
One case of the U.K variant of the coronavirus has been confirmed in Manitoba.
Dr. Roussin stated the case was related to international travel.
“This individual has since recovered. There were five household contacts that were all self-isolating, none of which have become a case, and of course this is not unexpected,” Roussin added.
He says this will not affect the scheduled easing of restrictions taking effect Friday morning.