Manitoba's Health Minister says that vaccine mandates for health workers, educators, and frontline workers will end next week.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon was joined by David Matear, health system co-lead, Unified Health Sector Incident Command, and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer on Thursday morning.

Gordon says that the province is coming up with a plan to help the healthcare system move forward and recover from the strains it faced due to the pandemic.

Matear says the province continues to see "positive progress" in the healthcare system, with hospitalizations, including ICU rates, declining quickly. He says that while they know the healthcare system is not out of the woods yet, they continue to see good signs.

As of Wednesday, there were 543 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 29 in the ICU. The province has noted for some time that many who are in the hospital with COVID are there for other reasons and just happen to also have COVID.

Visitation restrictions have begun to loosen in the province. 

Roussin and Premier Heather Stefanson announced on February 11 that they plan to lift proof of vaccination requirements effective March 1 and lift mask requirements and other restrictions effective March 15.

Roussin says during Thursday's press conference that while the province won't require proof of vaccination, some private businesses may choose to still require them. The vaccination verification apps will remain in operation for those businesses that choose to require them to enter.

Vaccination requirements will be removed for healthcare workers, educators

"Now's the time to prepare for a return to normal," Gordon says. "On March 1 the public health orders will no longer require proof of vaccination. And, as well, in a letter going out today signed by all regional health authority leaders and SDOs, I'm pleased to state that effective March 1 direct care workers in Manitoba's health service delivery organizations will also see the removal of regular rapid testing or proof of vaccination requirements. Vaccination and testing requirements will also no longer be required for designated public sector employees including education and childcare workers."

Gordon says she realizes that the pandemic has taken a large toll on all Manitobans. She says a careful and cautious plan will help the province move forward.

Other restrictions in the province have already been relaxed, and the province moved to Level Yellow under the Pandemic Response System. That means capacity limits are now eliminated in venues such as restaurants, licensed premises, entertainment venues, indoor and outdoor sporting events and casinos, as well as gatherings at private residences.

“Our province continues to move in the right direction when it comes to COVID-19, which means we can continue to reduce the public health restrictions,” says Roussin. “Manitobans have stepped up to get vaccinated and taken steps to keep themselves and their communities healthy, and advances in COVID-19 treatment options are giving us yet another tool to combat the most serious effects of the virus for many Manitobans. Public health will continue to closely monitor these key indicators to guide how we deal with COVID in the weeks and months ahead.”

Manitobans are reminded COVID-19 treatment options are available that can help protect against severe illness or hospitalization. Treatment must begin within days of having symptoms, so it is important to get tested quickly to access this care. Vaccinated and unvaccinated people, including those with chronic health conditions, who are pregnant or have other risk factors, may be eligible for treatment.