Restrictions could be eased next month Manitoba's economic reopening might begin in May if numbers remain encouraging By: Carol Sanders Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2020 (1611 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For those anxiously awaiting physiotherapy, a haircut or a round of golf, the wait may almost be over.

Manitoba’s chief public health officer said Thursday the province’s economic reopening could closely mirror Saskatchewan’s plan announced the same day, with some health services available May 4, golf courses on May 15 and hair salons allowed to reopen May 19.

“We’re going to be looking at a similar announcement in the next coming week to week and a half,” Dr. Brent Roussin said after having a “brief opportunity” to review the plan of Manitoba’s western neighbour.

The first phase of Saskatchewan’s plan is reopening medical services banned under its current public health order — such as dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, opticians, podiatry, occupational therapy and chiropractic treatment on May 4.

The second phase of openings includes clothing and shoe stores; gift, book and stationery stores; florists, hairdressers and barbers, registered massage therapists, acupuncturists and acupressurists on May 19.

Low-risk outdoor activities are being rolled out in as well. Golf courses can open May 15 with physical-distancing measures in place. Overnight camping — for Saskatchewan residents only — could begin June 1.

The size of public and private gatherings remains limited to a maximum of 10 people.

“All businesses and public venues will be required to continue following physical distancing and cleaning and disinfection practices to protect both employees and customers,” Premier Scott Moe said. He said the pace of the rollout, and possible rollbacks, will depend on the number of cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, which had a total of 326 cases as of Wednesday, with 61 considered active.

Manitoba on Thursday had a total of 262 cases, 82 considered active and five new — all Winnipeggers, two of whom were in their 20s, two in their 30s and one in their 80s, Roussin said.

“If our numbers remain like this, we’re looking towards May, as well, to start loosening some of the restrictions,” he said. It will be done gradually and carefully, he said.

“It will not be a return to normal,” Roussin warned. Businesses like hair salons and dental clinics will be able to open safely as long as sick customers and staff aren’t allowed in, proper hand hygiene is followed and, in some types of businesses, personal protective gear may be required.

“There’s a screening criteria all these places should adhere to,” he said. “There’s multiple steps that can take place to ensure that these kinds of services can be taken care of safely.”

Officials have said the plan for reopening Manitoba involves ramping up testing, contact tracing and enforcement.

Premier Brian Pallister said last week that Manitoba’s capacity for testing COVID-19 samples will double to 2,000 a day to make sure businesses and services can safely open. Finding people who test positive, isolating them and tracing their contacts is crucial for preventing outbreaks and needed for the lifting of restrictions, Roussin said.

After several days of just one or two or no new cases being reported in Manitoba, five on Thursday didn’t alarm Roussin.

“You can’t make much out of a single day,” he said.

“If our numbers remain like this, we’re looking towards May, as well, to start loosening some of the restrictions.”
– Manitoba’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin

Daily case counts and finding out whether those cases are connected to other known cases or household contacts will tell officials where the virus is and if it is spreading through the community. “We want to look at trends over time and the nature of acquisition,” said Roussin.

After expanding the testing criteria to include everyone working outside the home with respiratory symptoms, Cadham Provincial Laboratory had just 327 COVID-19 tests to perform Wednesday. Roussin expects the testing criteria will be expanded next week to include symptomatic family members of anyone working in essential services.

They have the capacity for both 2,000 tests a day and the required contact tracing to follow up on every positive case, with enough public health nurses in every region to do the work, said Roussin. Since legislation was passed April 15, Roussin now has the legal authority to make sure that the rules are followed as restrictions are being lifted.

“As we loosen some of our restrictions, then enforcement actually becomes a bit more important,” Roussin said.

“We want to make sure that as we loosen restrictions, we make sure everyone is maintaining the limitations that are imposed… If we look to lift restriction on certain non-essential businesses they will still be restricted in some manner that will still allow for social distancing.

“The enforcement and oversight is going to be important as we move towards that.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020.

   Read full biography