Manitoba reduces isolation period for most fully vaccinated individuals

The Manitoba government has reduced the quarantine period for fully-vaccinated residents from 10 to 5 days, following the advice of public health officials.

The following changes apply, starting January 1, 2022:

• All people who have tested positive for COVID-19 must isolate, including those who completed a rapid antigen test
• Isolation requirements reduced to five days from 10 since the date of the test for fully-vaccinated people who are not showing symptoms
• Isolation requirements reduced to five days from 10 since the date symptoms started appearing, or the date of the test, whichever is later for fully-vaccinated people as long as their symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever
• Individuals who have only isolated for five days due to the changes above must wear medical-grade masks while in public settings for the five days immediately following their self-isolation
• Isolation for people who have tested positive and are not fully vaccinated is for 10 days after the date of their test as long as their symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever

“We have looked at data from Manitoba and other jurisdictions, and feel these changes will balance reducing the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring critical services can continue to operate,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer.

Public health officials are also asking household close contact who are exempt from self-isolation to be extra cautious while the person is isolating and avoid any non-essential visits to high-risk settings.

The same request is being made for people leaving their five-day isolation for the following five-day period.

“We need to ensure we take steps to protect our healthcare system and other critical services during this surge of COVID-19 cases, many linked to the omicron variant,” says Health Minister Audrey Gordon. “These changes will help ensure everyone who should self-isolate does, regardless of how they tested, and will reduce the strain on the health-system workforce as well as other key sectors as more workers report they have contracted COVID-19.”

The current requirements are still in place:

• All close contacts who are not exempt from self-isolation requirements to self-isolate for 10 days
• People must provide information about locations where people have been in the previous 10 days for contact tracing purposes as required.