COVID-19 restrictions on capacity, gatherings come into force in Manitoba

Tighter public health restrictions on gatherings and capacity for both vaccinated and unvaccinated Manitobans have come into force.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon has said the rules are necessary to try to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant and prevent more pressure on overburdened hospitals.

Private indoor gatherings with vaccinated people are limited to household members plus 10 other people.

Gatherings that include anyone who is unvaccinated are limited to one household plus five guests.

Gyms, movie theatres and restaurants -- where people have already been required to be vaccinated -- are limited to half capacity.

Churches that require proof of vaccination will be limited to half capacity, while those that do not require vaccination status will be limited to 25 people or 25 per cent capacity, whichever is less.

The new rules are to be in place for three weeks until Jan. 11.

Manitoba's Opposition is calling on the province to provide financial support to businesses that will be affected by the latest restrictions and additional resources to help them enforce public health orders.

"We should know by now that business supports need to go hand-in-hand with increased restrictions so we can keep people safe and keep our economy moving," NDP economic development critic Jamie Moses said in a statement.

Nine additional cases of the variant were identified in Manitoba on Monday for a total of 17. But Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, has said modelling from other areas shows that will quickly increase.

There were 200 new cases in the province Monday and 333 on Sunday.

The NDP also echoed previous calls for the provincial government to call in the military to staff up hospitals as case numbers continue to rise and more surgeries are postponed.

The province requested military help last week and Ottawa announced Canadian Red Cross nurses will be arriving in Manitoba.

Roussin has said it was not realistic to ask Manitobans to go without a holiday season for a second year and noted the new restrictions will allow people to gather in a safer way.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2021.