Manitoba extends current public health orders

The Manitoba government is extending the current public health orders for another three weeks.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced the extension in a news release on Friday, saying the province is continuing to gather data and monitor the Omicron variant.

The health orders were originally set to end on Jan. 11, but have been extended to 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 1.

The current restrictions include:

• Limiting indoor private gatherings to 10 people plus household members if those in attendance are vaccinated. If there are unvaccinated people, the gathering is limited to five people plus household members;
• Restricting outdoor private gatherings where everyone is vaccinated to 20 people plus the household. If there is an unvaccinated individual in attendance, the gathering is limited to 10 people plus the household;
• Limiting indoor public gatherings that include one or more unvaccinated individuals to 25 per cent capacity or 25 people, whichever is lower;
• Limiting indoor and outdoor public gatherings that are restricted to fully immunized people to 50 per cent or 250 people, whichever is lower. This applies to restaurants, movie theatres, performing arts venues, sporting and recreational facilities, gyms, ticketed sporting events, recreational businesses, seasonal facilities, religious services, casinos, and bingos;
• Limiting outdoor public gatherings with one or more unvaccinated individuals to 50 people;
• Restricting libraries to 50 per cent capacity; and
• Stopping liquor sales at restaurants and licensed venues at 10 p.m.

The province notes that under these restrictions, those under 12 are exempt from needing to be vaccinated, but are still counted towards the number of people permitted to attend any sort of event or gathering.

“Ongoing restrictions are a challenge for many Manitobans, but remain necessary to help slow the spread of the virus and protect our health-care system,” Gordon said in the news release.

“While these orders remain in place, we continue to take steps to improve supply and access to testing and other important initiatives that support our pandemic response and protect our health system. Nothing is off the table and we will act swiftly in the weeks ahead if further action is required to protect Manitobans.”

Manitoba remains at the orange or restricted level on the pandemic response system.

A full list of public health orders can be found online.