Manitoba’s top public health officer spoke to media Wednesday afternoon in what the province is calling the last regularly scheduled COVID-19 update.
Going forward, the province said it will schedule media updates on an as-needed basis.
Dr. Brent Roussin said the province is in transition and can’t wait for the COVID-19 virus to be gone completely before moving on.
The pandemic, he said, has affected the mental health of Manitobans and created division when it comes to issues like protection requirements and mask mandates.
The last of the provincial mandates was lifted Tuesday, meaning Manitobans are no longer required to mask up in public — although many businesses and organizations continue to encourage the use of protective equipment and social distancing.
The self-isolation requirement for those who have tested positive has also been dropped.
Roussin said provincial officials continue to watch hospitalization numbers — which have gone down from a peak earlier in the winter — as well as the number of Manitobans in intensive care, which remains above pre-pandemic norms.
With files from The Canadian Press.