The Manitoba government is seeking feedback from Manitobans on plans to move to the ‘restricted’ (orange) level on the Pandemic Response System and continue to restore safely services and activities. The current COVID-19 prevention orders expire this week Thursday, March 25, and Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's Chief Provincial Public Heath Officer, shared today that the final changes to the orders will be announced tomorrow, Tuesday. March 23.
The survey, available on engagemb.ca will be open until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, and more than 30,000 respondents have already provided input. The survey asks Manitobans to share their perspectives on the risk of the virus and their comfort levels with different activities.
In addition, people are asked their thoughts on the timing, such as if changes should happen sooner, or wait until after the Easter and Passover holidays.
Possible changes to the public health orders include:
- increasing gathering limits at outdoor public places to 25 people;
- increasing gathering limits at weddings, funerals and other gatherings to 25 people;
- expanding capacity at religious services to a 25 per cent or a 250-person capacity, whichever is lower, with other public health measures still in effect;
- expanding the capacity limits for retail stores to 50 per cent or a 500-person capacity, whichever is lower, with other public health measures still in effect;
- allowing people to eat at the same table with other people in the indoor area of a restaurant, as long as everyone seated at a table has designated those individuals to visit them in their home;
- allowing organized team games at indoor sporting facilities;
- allowing youth to not wear a mask while taking part in an indoor sporting activities, but requiring mask use in other areas of the facility;
- enabling indoor theatres, indoor concert halls, casinos and gaming centres to open at 25 per cent or a 250-person capacity, whichever is lower, with other public health measures still in effect; and
In addition, other possible changes include removing the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days for interprovincial/domestic travellers who travel for business reasons and do not have symptoms.
Public health officials are NOT considering changes to indoor or outdoor gathering sizes at personal residences at this time, noting that close, prolonged contact has a higher risk of transmitting the virus.
To provide your feedback: https://engagemb.ca/restartmb-pandemic-response-system
