Premier Brian Pallister announced on Thursday, May 21, 2020, that the provincial government is looking at additional steps to safely restore services in phase two reopening plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today we are sharing a draft plan that will help inform and guide us in the second phase of safely restoring our services,” said Pallister. “We thank Manitobans for their diligence in respecting physical distancing guidelines, and we hope to be in a position to move forward and ease some additional restrictions while ensuring the health and well-being of all Manitobans.”

The premier said that as part of phase two reopening the province is considering limited access to educational facilities to allow for additional tutorial days, one-on-one learning, assessment and some programming.

Additional second phase plans being examined include:

• increasing child-care occupancy to 24
• increasing day camp group sizes to 24;
• resuming sports activities for children and adults;
• lifting occupancy limits at outdoor recreation facilities and golf courses outdoors, as long as physical distancing can be maintained and allowing limited access to indoor spaces;
• allowing direct travel to northern parks, campgrounds, cabins, lodges and resorts while ensuring physical distancing; 
• allowing public/private swimming pools, spas, fitness clubs, gyms and community/service centres to reopen with some limitations;
• allowing religious or other organizations to hold outdoor services without limitation on numbers if people stay in their vehicles;
• reopening manicurists and pedicurists, tattoo parlours, estheticians, cosmetologists, electrologists and tanning parlours at 50 per cent capacity; 
• allowing restaurants to reopen indoor spaces at 50 per cent capacity and continue to offer patio services at that capacity level;
• allowing bars, beverage rooms, micro-brewers and similar businesses that serve food and drinks to operate patio service at 50 per cent of site capacity and to reopen indoor spaces at 50 per cent capacity; and
• allowing the resumption of film productions while ensuring physical distancing.

Although no date for the phase two reopening has been set some loosening of restrictions will begin as early as tomorrow.

Dr Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s Chief Public Health Officer, announced on Wednesday that gathering sizes will be increased effective Friday, May 22, 2020. Indoors gatherings will now be limited to 25 people while outdoor gatherings can include up to 50 people.

Roussin also noted that outdoor visits will also be permitted at personal care homes and Long-term care facilities.

“We look at a number of key factors when making these recommendations including how the spread of the virus has been controlled, the stability of the health system’s capacity, public health capacity and the number of outbreaks in vulnerable settings,” said Roussin. “We will only take additional steps to safely restore services based on this data, as well as on case numbers, testing data and other public health information. Any further changes will be considered based on this data in the coming days and weeks.” 

Mass gatherings like the kind you find at concerts, festivals and major sporting events will not be considered prior to September.

The premier noted that the province is also looking at potentially beginning the next school year on August 31 and may repurpose some non-instructional days throughout the year.

“We know this has been a challenging time for students and their families as they juggle remote learning while missing their classmates and friends. We want to examine additional ways to assist them in meeting their educational needs,” said Pallister.

© News4.ca 2020