As promised by the province once COVID-19 vaccination levels reached 75 per cent first dose and 50 per cent second dose then public health restrictions would be relaxed.
On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, Premier Brian Pallister and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer announced what changes to the restrictions will look like.
Under Manitoba’s ‘4-3-2 One Great Summer’ reopening plan most facilities will be allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity. That included restaurants and bars, retail businesses, cultural and recreational facilities, personal services like hairdressers, spas and massage.
“Vaccines are the safest and quickest way out of this pandemic. The sooner all eligible Manitobans get fully vaccinated, the sooner we can all get our lives back,” said Pallister.
The relaxed restrictions come into force at 12:01 am on Saturday, July 17 and will be reassessed when they expire on August 7 based on vaccination rates and the status of COVID-19 in the province.
“More and more vaccinations allow us to loosen public health restrictions. But COVID-19 is still circulating in the province and continues to challenge our hospital and ICU capacity, a phased reopening is a safe reopening,” said Roussin.
The new rules are as follows:
- indoor gatherings at private residences are permitted to a maximum of five people, plus the household members;
- indoor gatherings in public spaces are permitted to a maximum of 25 people;
- outdoor gatherings on private property increase to a maximum of 25 people;
- public outdoor gatherings increase to a maximum of 150 people;
- retail businesses increase to 50 per cent capacity or 500 people, whichever is lower;
- restaurants, licensed premises and food court capacities expand to 50 per cent capacity: outdoor maximum table size remains at eight people; patrons may only sit together indoors if they are from the same household or if all patrons 12 years of age or older are fully immunized (unvaccinated children under 12 may dine with fully vaccinated members of their household in this case); opening hours extend to midnight; the requirement to purchase food when ordering alcohol no longer applies; VLTs may be operate with all other restaurant/bar rules applying (two-metre distance, only households or fully vaccinated people seated together);
- personal services (haircuts and styling, nail salons, estheticians and massage) continue at 50 per cent capacity; however, appointments are no longer required;
- dance, theatre, and music school capacities increase to 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 25 perople per group;
- indoor sporting facilities may host groups up to a maximum of 25 people, interaction between groups and tournaments are not permitted;
- day camp capacity increases to groups of 25, joint activities between groups and overnight camps are prohibited;
- outdoor recreation including games and practices may take place to maximum group size of 50 people; spectators are permitted and do not count towards this capacity limit; tournaments are not permitted;
- gym and fitness centre capacities expand to 50 per cent capacity; masks and increased physical distancing (three metres) are still required;
- outdoor weddings and funerals may include up to 150 participants in addition to photographers and officiants; indoor weddings or funerals increase to 25 people in addition to photographers and officiants;
- libraries may open to 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 150 people, whichever is lower;
- faith-based and cultural gatherings (pow wows, sun dances) may expand to 50 per cent capacity or 150 people indoors, whichever is lower; masks and physical distancing between households is still required; if the facility design allows, the capacity limits may be applied to different physical spaces within the venue; outdoor faith-based and cultural gatherings permitted up to 150 people and drive-in services continue to be permitted without restriction;
Fully Immunized
The following may now reopen for fully immunized people as well as unvaccinated children under 12 who are accompanied by fully vaccinated members of their household:
- movie theatres; bingo halls, VLT lounges and casinos, and museums and galleries to a maximum of 50 per cent capacity
- large-scale, outdoor professional sports or performing arts events may operate with capacities up to 100 per cent after developing an approved event plan in consultation with public health.
Mask use indoors and physical distancing is still required.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are not at the finish line yet, the race to beat COVID-19 is not over yet,” said the premier. “Until that race is over, Manitobans must continue to do their part and fulfil the two most important public health responsibilities each of us have; get fully vaccinated and follow the public health orders designed to keep COVID-19 away.”
© News4.ca 2021
