Manitoba moving from red to orange on COVID-19 response system

As COVID-19 restrictions start to loosen in Manitoba, the province is also moving from red to orange on its COVID-19 pandemic response system.

The change takes effect as new public health orders are also set to kick in Saturday, deputy chief provincial public health officer, Dr. Jazz Atwal announced Friday.

“Manitobans need to continue to follow the fundamentals,” including masks and social distancing, said Atwal.

“We’re in a point in time here where we still have to get our case numbers down. We don’t want our case numbers to plateau even at this number — we need to keep driving these numbers down.”

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While Atwal noted the move from level red to orange does not mean that restrictions will be lessened further, he added it could lead to changes around visitation rules in the future.

“It’s … a little bit about messaging,” he said.

“You know, things have gotten a little bit better. There’s a little bit less community transmission out there and case numbers are decreasing.

“We’re in a little bit better spot than we were when we were in red.”

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Manitoba first unveiled its four-level pandemic response plan on Aug. 19, 2020, with green, yellow, orange and red levels, based mostly on how much the virus was transmitting in communities.

Winnipeg was moved to level red, along with strict lockdowns, on Oct. 30 as the second wave moved into Manitoba.

The rest of the province joined Winnipeg two weeks later on Nov. 12, where it has remained.

The move to orange comes the same day new public health orders loosening restrictions come into effect across the province.

The latest public health orders were posted on the province’s website earlier in the day Friday.

Under the new rules restaurants and bars will be limited to 25 per cent capacity indoors and 50 per cent on patios.

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Hair salons, gyms and sports will be allowed to open, but with capacity restrictions. Hair and nail salons, as well as barber shops, will also be available by appointment only.

Outdoor gatherings on private property will be capped at 10 people and groups in public areas will be limited to 25. The number of worshippers at faith services will also be capped.

Manitoba saw a delayed third wave of the pandemic that brought significant infections and hospitalizations last month. Public-health orders were put in place to curb the surge.

Those numbers have been steadily dropping over the last week, prompting the province to begin loosening restrictions on Saturday — a week earlier than anticipated in its reopening plan.

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Manitoba’s three-step approach calls for public health orders to be loosened if first and second-dose vaccination rates are met by certain summer holidays.

Starting Friday all Manitobans who have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can book a second shot appointment as soon as they become eligible. At last word 72.2 per cent of Manitobans had received one shot of vaccine, and just shy of 33 per cent had received two doses.

The next step of Manitoba’s plan, if vaccination rates are met, is to begin Aug. 2.

Manitoba reported 85 new cases and one death linked to the virus Friday. There were 197 Manitobans hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of Friday morning, including 12 patients in intensive-care units in other provinces.
More to come.

–With files from The Canadian Press and Elisha Dacey