Limited changes to the public health orders will take effect at 12:00 AM, Jan. 23, and last for three weeks, Premier Brian Pallister and Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, announced on Thursday, Jan. 21, adding these modest changes balance the need to protect the health-care system while gradually restoring services and activities for Manitobans.
Previous restrictions in the orders will remain, with the following changes in effect beginning Jan. 23 for the Winnipeg (except for Churchill), Southern Health–Santé Sud, Interlake–Eastern and Prairie Mountain Health regions:
- household limits: orders will be expanded to allow increased personal connections to support the well-being of Manitobans by allowing:
– – two designated people (family or friends) to visit a household under a new ‘rule of two’;
– – outdoor visits of up to five people only plus members of a household on an outdoor private property; and
– – funerals to have up to 10 people in addition to the officiant under clear COVID-19 protection protocols.
- retail operations: orders will be expanded to eliminate the essential items list, allowing all stores to open for the sale of products provided they maintain physical distancing and occupancy limits of 25 per cent only or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower.
- health and personal services: orders will be expanded to allow for the operation of basic services that promote physical and mental health for Manitobans:
– – non-regulated health services, such as pedorthists and reflexologists, to reopen with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes; and
– – barber shops and hair stylists to reopen at 25 per cent capacity with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes.
Given the high case counts in northern Manitoba communities, the changes outlined above will not apply to that region or Churchill. Household restrictions, retail operations limited to essential items only, and health and service operations will remain limited to regulated health professions.
The province will continue monitoring COVID-19 developments carefully and will make further adjustments to ease restrictions or re-impose restrictions depending on Manitobans’ collective success in keeping COVID-19 at bay.
To stay up-to-date on the public health orders: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/index.html#provinciallevel
