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Manitoba to ease COVID-19 restrictions

Beginning this week Manitobans will be able to do more as the province eases COVID-19 restrictions.

The restrictions allow for increased gathering sizes, more business sectors to open with increased capacity, people to attend faith-based gatherings, dine in restaurants and on patios, go to gyms and receive personal services like hair cuts.

“Manitobans have earned an earlier reopening,” said Premier Brian Pallister. “Together, we have beat back the third wave and have booked first and second dose vaccinations in record numbers. After nearly a year and a half fighting COVID-19, it is time for Manitobans to regain their freedoms and enjoy a summer we all want, and have rightfully earned.”

As of 12:01 am on Saturday June 26 the following changes to public health orders will include:

  • outdoor gathering sizes on private property to double to 10 persons, and to allow outdoor visitors to briefly access homes for essential activities (e.g. to use a washroom);
  • public outdoor gathering sizes to increase to 25 persons;
  • retail businesses to open with increased capacity at 25 per cent to a limit of 250 persons, with no restrictions on the number of household members permitted to shop together;
  • personal service businesses (hair and nail salons, estheticians, barbers, etc.) to reopen at 50 per cent capacity, on an appointment basis only;
  • restaurants and bars to reopen at 25 per cent capacity for indoors and 50 per cent for outdoor dining. For indoor dining, patrons seated together must be from the same household unless all patrons at the table are fully immunized. Patrons who are fully immunized and from different households may dine together. For outdoor dining, tables are limited to a maximum of 8 patrons and can be from different households regardless of immunization status;
  • indoor faith-based services and organized community gatherings (e.g. pow wows, sun dance ceremonies) to resume at 25 per cent capacity to a limit of 25 persons with masks worn at all times;
  • outdoor faith-based and organized community gatherings (e.g. pow wows, sun dance ceremonies) to resume for up to 50 persons, provided distance can be maintained between households. Drive-in services continue to be permitted;
  • outdoor weddings and funerals may take place with up to 25 participants, in addition to photographer and officiants. Indoor weddings and funerals remain limited to 10 persons;
  • indoor dance, music, theatre and other organized sports and recreation activities may reopen at 25 per cent capacity to a limit of five persons, with no tournaments allowed;
  • outdoor dance, music and theatre classes and other organized recreation activities may reopen for groups up to 25 people, with no tournaments allowed;
  • swimming and wading pools, both indoor and outdoor, may reopen at 25 per cent capacity;
  • gyms and fitness facilities may reopen for individual and group fitness classes at 25 per cent capacity with three metres distance maintained between patrons; and;
  • summer day camps may reopen to a maximum of 20 participants in groups.

In addition to these changes those who have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine and it has been at least two week since the second dose will also be able to visit loved ones in a personal care home or hospital, travel in Canada without the need to self-isolate up on their return and dine indoors at restaurants and bars with other fully immunized friends and family from outside your household.

Outdoor professional sports and performing arts events will also be able to allow fully immunized Manitobans to attend with approval from Manitoba Public Health.

The province says that additional benefits for those fully vaccinated will be announced in July and will include allowing more fully vaccinated people to attend weddings, funerals, faith-based and other gatherings.

Physical distancing, wearing masks indoors and following the fundamentals will still be required.

“While the case numbers and our health system are improving, the pandemic is not over and variants of concern, especially the B.1.617.2 (delta) variant, are still circulating. This is why Manitobans need to continue to practice the fundamentals – washing your hands, physical distancing, wearing a mask, and getting fully vaccinated,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer. “Today’s reopening fits with the public health advice on where we are in the fight against the pandemic and where we still have to go.”

The province noted that if the goal set for the next reopening milestone is reached by August 2 then capacity will increase to 50 per cent or more. The next goal is to have 75 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and older to have received their first dose of vaccine and 50 per cent to have received their second dose.

© News4.ca 2021

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