While it will be many, many months before Manitoba returns to a pre-pandemic normal, Manitobans have been proving their resilience as case numbers trend downwards.

Anticdotedly, the Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal says he saw people doing a good job of following the current public health guidelines over Christmas.

"I think there is a lot of buy in," Atwal says. "I think Manitobans adhere to the messaging. I think a lot of people did what they needed to and I am hoping the same happens over New Years'."

Manitoba will see the effects of the effort to follow orders in COVID case numbers in one or two weeks following the holidays.

He is hopeful that Manitobans will continue to show support for the restrictions 

"This is about having a good start to 2021. I think we are heading in the right direction, but there is still work to be done."

Atwal says that 2021 will bring hope as more vaccines arrive, but says Manitobans need to continue to follow the Public Health Orders.

He says it will be many, many months before Manitonbas will be attending live concerts or events in person. The doctor says that in the future they will be looking at loosening restrictions such as private gatherings sizes but cannot say how soon that could come, despite heading in what he says is in the right direction.

"To be quite frank, I cannot see us getting out of all of our restrictions in the near future."

The current restrictions are set to end on January 8, making what was thought to be a short circuit breaker last for two months. If the province scales back orders, it will be done slowly while watching what is happening inside hospitals and specific populations.

Atwal says there are no "black and white answers" when it comes to deciding to loosen restrictions. He says he cannot give exact case numbers or amounts of time, as each situation varies.

"Time will tell."

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