Phase Four: Restoring Safe Services

July 21 - Phase Four: Restoring Safe Services
Phase Four Town Hall Recording

Phases One through Four of Restoring Safe Services: Manitoba’s Pandemic and Economic Roadmap for Recovery set out evidence-based plans to ease public health measures put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The success of the measures introduced earlier this year is making it possible to restore services safely in phases. This phased approach has been working.

Many factors including current research and the experience of other jurisdictions all contribute to the decisions recommended by public health professionals on whether further restrictions are required, or further easing is possible.

Phase 4 Implementation

As a result of public health evidence and advice, and in response to feedback received, phase four will proceed but with some items deferred to a later date or moved forward with more limited implementation. Other steps will remain as proposed.

The proposed changes to visits in personal care homes and long-term care settings will proceed as outlined in the draft document. Facility operators will continue to review visitation policies and processes to ensure appropriate visitation, along with the health and safety of residents and families.

Items moving forward with limited implementation on July 25 include:

• maintaining current site capacity at 30 per cent (instead of the proposed 50 per cent) for faith-based services and pow wows, but eliminating the need for sub-groups (cohorts);
• allowing stage performances and opening movie theatres to a maximum capacity of 30 per cent of the site (instead of the proposed 50 per cent), up to a maximum of 500 people;
• allowing casinos to open at a maximum of 30 per cent of the site’s capacity (instead of the proposed 50 per cent); and
• allowing retail businesses and indoor recreation sites to use non-permeable barriers when distances of two metres can not be maintained.

The following proposed changes have been deferred at this time:

• proposed changes to indoor and outdoor gathering sizes;
• relaxing of self-isolation requirements for those travelling from eastern and southern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada; and
• walk-up counter service in bars, beverage rooms, brew pubs, microbreweries and distilleries.

Public health officials will review possible adjustments on a week-by-week basis and make any additional changes based on the public health situation at the time.

To view the updated phase four plan and to review public health guidance for businesses, visit www.manitoba.ca/covid19/restoring/index.html.

This information is available in an alternate format upon request, please contact engagemb@gov.mb.ca.