What Manitoba’s reopening plan means for fully vaccinated residents

WINNIPEG -

The Manitoba government announced the second phase of its reopening plan on Wednesday, and it includes certain benefits for those who are fully vaccinated.

The new health orders, which take effect on Saturday, July 17 at 12:01 a.m., allow fully vaccinated people to visit movie theatres, bingo halls, VLT lounges, casinos, museums, and galleries. These facilities are only permitted to open at a maximum 50 per cent capacity.

The province notes that museums must operate under this vaccination requirement when open to the public as a museum, both indoors and outdoors.

Unvaccinated children under 12 can go to museums as long as they are accompanied by fully vaccinated members of their household. If it is used as a private venue for events such as weddings, then the province said the appropriate orders apply.

Manitoba is also allowing fully vaccinated people to attend large-scale, outdoor professional sport or performing arts events. These events can operate at 100 per cent capacity after developing an approved plan with public health.

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Fully vaccinated Manitobans will also continue to be able to eat inside restaurants, licensed premises and food courts with those outside of their own household. They also do not have to self-isolate for 14 days following interprovincial travel or if they are deemed a close contact to a COVID-19 case.

Manitobans must wait 14 days after their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.

The public health orders expire at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 7.