WATCH: Roussin making Public Health Order changes

Libraries, religious facilities, restaurants and more will be closed to in-person visitors starting Sunday.

Changes to the health orders are coming from Dr. Brent Roussin.

"We still have hope on the horizon," Roussin says. He is hopeful that the summer will see more vaccinations and fewer restrictions. 

New restrictions include:
•    outdoor gatherings that include people from multiple households are limited to a maximum of five people;
•   restaurants, bars and patios will close to in-person dining but can still provide take-out and delivery services;
•    gyms and fitness centres will close;
•    casinos remain closed and VLTs will close;
•    museums, galleries and libraries will close;
•    indoor community, cultural and religious gatherings are prohibited;
•    personal services such as estheticians, barbers, salons and tanning salons will close;
•    indoor sports and recreation, including after-school activities, will close;
•    outdoor sports and recreation activities will have a maximum of five participants and organized team games will not be permitted;
•    dance, theatre and music schools will close;
•    day camps will close;
•    retail stores, markets and garden centres will be able to open at 10 per cent capacity, to a maximum of 100 people, and malls will be open to a maximum of 10 per cent of the facility’s capacity; and
•    self-help gatherings will have a maximum of 10 participants.
 

These changed start at midnight on Sunday and end on May 30.

There are no changes to schools, but Roussin says in the upcoming days there could be more information regarding this. 

"We did not really have much of a choice. We had to act very quickly here because we need to ensure our healthcare system is there for everyone."

Roussin says he is seeing a huge amount of people being admitted to the hospital in recent days. Dr. Jazz Atwal said earlier Friday that 70 per cent of all new cases are Manitobans younger than 40. This is in part due to older Manitobans being eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"I think Manitobans are exhausted but we have it in us to get through this one last time," Roussin says about the Third Wave. To do this, he says Manitobans need to change how they interact with each other.

Two weeks ago, new health orders were put into place by Roussin. At the time, Roussin hoped this would be the last round of strict restrictions. Doctors in Manitoba penned a letter, saying the restrictions were not strict enough. Rising cases between two weeks ago and Friday have led to the new orders.

"I think this is always that balance between things," Roussin says about the changes. "We need Manitobans and (they) have, in the past, stepped up to make those decisions. Right now is the time to be staying home, mostly. If you are going out make sure that you are gathering pretty much with your household only."

He says rising cases and hospitalizations led the change to occur but did not give enough time to assess the impact of the previous changes. 

 

This is a developing story.