Phase 4 of Manitoba’s reopening plan will begin as early as Saturday, July 25, 2020.
- Phase 1 started on May 4, 2020 which allowed non-essential businesses and restaurant patios to reopen.
- Phase 2 started on June 1, 2020.
- Phase 3 started on June 21, 2020.
Public Gatherings
Change: increasing indoor and outdoor gathering sizes
Proposed changes include increasing gathering sizes to 75 people indoors and 250 people outdoors, where members of the public are reasonably able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from others, except for brief exchanges. Larger group sizes would be allowed where distinct groups of 75 or 250 can be separated to prevent contact with other groups and attendance is restricted to 30 per cent of the site’s capacity.
Seniors are at increased risk of more serious complications from COVID-19 disease. Where group activities are necessary and seniors are present, consider further limiting group sizes from the allowed limit of 75 people indoors, to 25 people or one person per 10 square metres, whichever is fewer.
Casinos
Change: re-opening casinos
Proposed changes include opening casinos, with a maximum occupancy of 50 per cent of the site’s capacity (including staff).
Physical distancing between individuals, households and small groups of people travelling to the casino together must be in place. Frequent, enhanced and regular cleaning and wiping of surfaces is required. People should remain in self-isolation if showing symptoms.
Bars, Beverage Rooms, Brew Pubs, Microbreweries and Distilleries
Change: allowing counter walk-up service in bars, beverage rooms, brew pubs, microbreweries and distilleries
Proposed changes include allowing counter walk-up service in bars, beverage rooms and brew pubs provided non-permeable barriers (e.g. Plexiglas) and hand sanitizer is available for patrons, physical distancing is observed in line ups and there is more frequent enhanced and regular cleaning and wiping of surfaces.
Requirements for self-isolating when showing symptoms and physical distancing continue.
Retail Businesses and Indoor Recreation, Including All Non-Smoking Sites With VLT Lounges, Bingo Halls, Billiard Rooms, and Other Indoor Amusement Centres, Personal Services and Therapeutic or Health Care Businesses
Change: lifting occupancy restrictions, except in gyms, fitness centres, martial arts centres, gymnastic clubs, yoga studios and dance, theatre and music schools
Proposed changes include lifting occupancy restrictions in all retail and indoor recreation settings except for gyms, fitness centres, martial arts, gymnastic clubs and yoga studios, as well as dance, theatre and music schools. These sites must remain at occupancy levels of 50 per cent or one person per 10 square metres, whichever is lower. Dance, theatre and music schools must remain at 50 per cent of the usual capacity and the total number of students in any class may not exceed 25.
Proposed changes include allowing closer than two metre/six foot distancing within personal services settings such as therapeutic services and hair and nail salons where a non-permeable physical barrier (e.g. Plexiglas) is installed. Retail business that are proposed to change from partial occupancy to full occupancy in this phase include: hairdresser, barber, manicure, pedicure, cosmetology, electrolysis, tattoo, body piercing, tanning, acupuncture and massage services.
Requirements for self-isolating when showing symptoms and physical distancing continue.
Faith-Based Gatherings, Pow Wows and Other Cultural and Spiritual Indoor Gatherings, Stage Performances and Movie Theatres
Change: adjusting the capacity of gathering sizes, eliminating the need for cohorts and resuming live theatrical performances and reopening movie theatres
Proposed changes include easing restrictions for faith-based gatherings, including pow wows and other cultural and spiritual events, and resuming stage performances and reopening movie theatres. No cohorts will be required, and capacity will increase to 50 per cent of the site’s capacity or 500 people, whichever are lower.
Physical distancing between individuals, households and small groups of people travelling to the event together, ensuring people stay home and self-isolate when showing symptoms as well as following restrictions related to singing, musical instruments and dancing continue. Sites must also address physical distancing in areas where patrons may congregate between shows, performances or acts of a play at intermissions.
Travel Restrictions
Change: removing self-isolation travel requirements
Proposed changes include removing self-isolation travel requirements for domestic travel for all Canadian provinces and territories, building on changes already made for Western Canada. This will allow residents from all Canadian jurisdictions to visit Manitoba without having to self-isolate for 14 days. International visitors will still be required to follow federal restrictions and requirements for self-isolation. Timing for this change will be determined.
Visits in Personal Care and Long-Term Care Settings
The goal of the Manitoba government is to support the health and wellbeing of residents and their loved ones. Steps are underway to support increased visitation at personal care and long-term care facilities
However, it is clear that there are no risk-free options with COVID 19. The virus is still in Manitoba, and residents in these facilities remain uniquely vulnerable. Thus, a balanced approach to visitation is required which mitigates risk of COVID 19 transmission, while allowing for interaction by residents with families and friends so that the risks of isolation brought on by strict, universallyapplied visitor restrictions are addressed.
Facility operators are required to communicate visitation plans to residents and their loved ones. Each site and region must develop a rapid problem-solving and appeal process to ensure resident and family concerns related to visitation are addressed in a timely manner. Due to differing layouts and the varied needs of residents and families, each site will need to develop specific plans for enabling outdoor/indoor visitation by visitors.
The health system and facility operators will continue to review visitation policies and processes to ensure the safety of residents in these facilities. The policies that are now being extended will be monitored and rescinded in part, or in whole, should conditions require, and rescinded immediately if there is evidence of virus spread or outbreak.
Indoor Visitation
Each resident or designate can identify two support people who will be able to visit the resident’s room indoors, for unlimited visitation time. Support people are defined as only those close family and/or friends who have a clearly established pattern of involvement in providing active care and support to the resident’s emotional wellbeing, health, and quality of life. These family caregivers will participate regularly in the care of the residents.
In addition, residents/ designates may identify general visitors who wish to visit for social reasons. Although outdoor visits are preferred for general visitors, sites may consider some visits from general visitors in resident’s room if the resident is in a single room or required physical distancing can be maintained.
For double and multi-bedded rooms or for other reasons where caregiving or visiting in the room of the resident is not possible, an alternative indoor space may need to be identified.
Screening of all indoor visitors must occur prior to entry. Indoor visitation will be permitted provided that the visitor(s) meets the following three requirements:
- is symptom free;
- wears a mask while in the personal care home (or additional/other personal protective equipment as mandated by the facility); and
- travels straight to the resident’s room without loitering in any common areas or other resident rooms in the personal care home, and avoids touching surfaces in the facility en route to the resident’s room.
A plan must be developed by the facility in collaboration with the resident/designate to determine the nature, duration, frequency, and timing of the visits by indoors visitors (both support persons and general visitors). Family and friends of the residents will be treated with compassion and understanding to accommodate special circumstances. Visitors will be provided with access to basic facilities such as washrooms.
Facility operators will determine when residents can have visits. Operators may implement regularly scheduled visits through a booking system or designated drop-in times and provide reasonable flexibility to accommodate for varied circumstances of residents and families, e.g. family members who work.
For indoor visits, masks will be required.
Outdoor Visitation
Outdoor visits are preferred and encouraged for general visitors to help keep the number of individuals entering the facility to minimum. Outdoor visits will be allowed for a reasonable number of visitors per resident (as an example, up to four people at a time, depending on the appropriate space availability).
Based on risk evaluation and clinical judgement and in collaboration/ discussion with the resident/ delegate, the site may be unable to facilitate outdoor visits for certain residents and/or due to inclement weather.
Off-property visits are not recommended given the risk to residents and to the facility associated with unknown nature of contacts, exposure and other required safety measures. However, low-risk activities for residents and families should be supported, such as walks around the property/block.
For outdoor visits, mask use is encouraged.
