Manitoba NDP want public inquiry into government’s COVID-19 response

Manitoba’s Opposition New Democrats are calling on the the Progressive Conservative government to hold an inquiry into its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manitoba has registered the second-highest death rate among the provinces, behind Quebec, and had to ship 57 intensive care patients to other provinces last spring.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew says the inquiry should be led by independent experts.

0:40 More surgeries being cancelled in Manitoba

“We need to have an inquiry that is independent, that is going to be willing to ask some tough questions,” said said NDP Leader Wab Kinew.

“But most importantly, to bring back some recommendations for the future,”

If the Tories don’t call an inquiry, the NDP will if it wins the next election slated for 2023, Kinew said.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, visit our coronavirus page.