With an explosion of 480 new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba Southern Health and all health districts that are not the Winnipeg Metropolitan region have moved up to “Orange” or “Restricted on the Pandemic Level Response System. The Winnipeg region, meanwhile, has been moved to “Red” or “Critical”.

to Winnipeg are now in place for Southern Health, Prairie Mountain Health, and Interlake-Eastern Health regions. The Northern health region will remain at orange.

Next week, the following changes will be put in place in these regions:

-Public and private group gathering sizes limited to five, in addition to household.
-Capacity limited to 50 per cent at restaurants and bars, with group sizes limited to five.
-Reduced retail capacity to 50 per cent, encouraging limiting those who go shopping from each household.
-Blended learning for grades 9 to 12, voluntary blended learning temporarily available for kindergarten to Grade 8, encouraging as much physical distancing as possible.
-Personal services have no change and stay at 50 per cent capacity.
-Reduced spectators at sports and recreation facilities to 25 per cent.
-Gyms and fitness centers require contact information for all attendees and mask use at all times, except when exercising.
-Faith-based gatherings are reduced to 20 per cent or 250 people, whichever is lower.
-Masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces

“The incubation period for this virus is up to 14 days – if we limit our contacts and stay home, we could see drastic reductions in transmission within weeks,” says Roussin. “We have done this before and I am confident we can do it again. But we need to be serious about this if we want to bend the curve.”

COVID-19 restrictions in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, including communities like Niverville, the RM of Tache and the RM of Richot, are now even more strict.

Next week, the following changes will be put in place in this region:

-Public and private group gathering sizes will continue to be limited to five, in addition to household.
-Bars and restaurants will be closed except for take-out and delivery.
-Most retail will be reduced to 25 per cent capacity.
-Sports and recreation programming will be suspended.
-Gyms and fitness centres will have reduced capacity to 25 per cent and masks will be mandatory, even when exercising.
-Movie theatres and concert halls will close.
-Personal services have no change and stay at 50 per cent capacity.
-Non-urgent and elective surgeries and diagnostics will be suspended. Scheduled surgeries in a number of essential and time-sensitive areas will continue to be performed including cancer, cardiac and trauma. Patients will be contacted directly if their scheduled surgeries are affected.
-Visitation at all Winnipeg Metropolitan Region hospitals has been suspended, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis for patients receiving end-of-life care, in labour and delivery, as well as in pediatrics.
-Faith-based gatherings are reduced to 15 per cent or 100 people, whichever is lower.

In addition to these changes, the government is encouraging businesses in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region to have staff work from home wherever possible, and for residents to stay home when sick and take whatever action possible to reduce their contacts and any public gatherings.

“We will be enforcing these orders, as we cannot see this level of transmission continue,” states Roussin. "Protect yourself and protect the people around you.”