Childcare centres in Manitoba will no longer be required to notify COVID-19 close contacts
Early learning and childcare centres (ELCC) in Manitoba will no longer be required to notify close contacts of COVID-19 cases.
The province made the announcement in the COVID-19 bulletin on Wednesday, saying the decision puts ELCC facilities in line with schools in the province.
“Attendance of children and staff will be based on symptom screening,” the bulletin reads. “Children or staff exposed to COVID-19 in the childcare and school settings may continue to attend childcare and school if they are asymptomatic.”
Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, said staff, family and home daycare providers should continue to monitor for symptoms daily.
He said with Omicron being so infectious and having a shorter incubation period, the current standard of contact tracing is not effective.
“If we see a change in the virus again, then perhaps, there may be a need for it,” Roussin said. “Right now, we’re dealing with Omicron and the nature of this virus is not conducive to widespread contact tracing.”
Earlier in the month, the province made similar changes to close contact notification at schools, saying the province needs to shift its strategy to find ways to mitigate the risk of COVID-19, rather than containing the virus.
When asked what he would say to parents, Roussin said, on average, COVID-19 has been much less severe in younger ages and they haven’t seen many severe outcomes in children.
“We’ve seen that toll on kids being out of school and daycare, the toll on parents, and this is a matter of trying to reduce some of that burden,” he said.
The province said public health will continue to monitor overall cases in the centres and may contact a facility if increased COVID-19 activity is suspected.
Roussin said home-based centres should follow the same guidance that applies to other childcare centres.
The new guidance takes effect on Jan. 28.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Toronto Maple Leafs fire head coach Sheldon Keefe
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Sheldon Keefe has been relieved as his duties as head coach.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.