Manitoba to lift mask mandate for indoor public places
The Manitoba government announced on Tuesday it will be lifting the mask mandate for indoor public spaces beginning this weekend.
Premier Brian Pallister and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, announced the province’s latest round of public health orders on Tuesday, which come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7.
“Public health will no longer require mask use in indoor public places under the public health orders,” Roussin said.
“However, we know that COVID-19 will be with us. COVID-19 will be here in a post-pandemic Manitoba, as well as the other respiratory viruses such as influenza and RSV.”
The province noted that due to the continued presence of COVID-19 in the province and the risk posed by the delta variant, Manitoba strongly recommends that those who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 continue to wear masks in indoor public places. This also applies to children under the age of 12, who are not eligible for the vaccine.
Manitoba also recommends that people continue to maintain physical distancing of two metres between people while they are in indoor settings.
“We’re moving from public health restrictions to recommendations, but we know that COVID is still with us. We still know those places, crowded spaces, prolonged contact, increases the risk of transmission, not only of COVID, but the other respiratory viruses that are likely to return,” Roussin said.
Roussin added that individual businesses can decide whether they want to continue requiring customers to wear masks.
“Individual businesses are going to have to decide on the appropriateness of additional measures,” he said.
According to the province, masks will be continued to be required during entry and while in health-care facilities, including hospitals and personal care homes. Medical masks continue to be required, and they will be provided by the facility.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.