This is an update from the Manitoba Emergency Coordination Center, from the chief provincial public health officer.
WINNIPEG – The chief provincial public health officer issued new public health orders that take effect on April 17, 2020 and will be in effect until May 1, 2020. They mandate that anyone entering Manitoba regardless of whether it was from another country or another province must self-isolate for 14 days.
This does not include:
- workers involved with the commercial transportation of goods and services
- workers who live in a neighbouring jurisdiction and travel to Manitoba for work;
- health care workers who travel to work from outside the province; and
- normal personal travel in border communities.
In addition, travel to northern Manitoba (north of the 53rd parallel of latitude) is prohibited with some exceptions, including:
- residents of northern and remote communities may continue to move within the north;
- delivery of goods and services may continue; and
- exceptions include those who travel to the north for employment, medical treatment or to facilitate child custody agreements.
The new orders maintain the gathering size of no more than 10 people at any indoor or outdoor premises. Additional updates include:
- a clarification that businesses not listed as critical may operate, and have customers attend to pick up ordered items , providing social distancing measures are in place;
- a provision to allow farmers markets to operate, providing social distancing measures are in place;
- hotels may operate, but must close common areas such as pools, hot tubs and game rooms;
- campgrounds can provide accommodation to recreational vehicles that act as a primary residence;
- garden centres can operate, providing social distancing measures are in place; and
- appliance, electronic and furniture stores are excluded, and should not be open to the public, except where orders are placed remotely and orders are delivered or picked up with social distancing measures in place.
The following restrictions remain in place as they were with previous orders:
- All restaurants and other commercial facilities are prohibited from serving food to customers on their premises. This prevents eat-in dining at all facilities. However, restaurants and other commercial facilities can prepare and serve food for delivery or takeout. If this takes place, the operator of the restaurant must ensure that all persons maintain the appropriate social distancing from other customers when picking up food.
- All businesses that are not listed in the schedule of critical services that accompany the order must remain closed.
- This closure order does not prevent these businesses from operating on a remote basis.
- A business may accept orders on the Internet, or over the phone for delivery or pickup.
- The order does not prevent employees or others from coming into the business to perform repairs, to provide security services or to take out items from the business premises if the business is going to operate on a remote basis.
- Nothing in the order restricts the operations of delivery of services by the federal or provincial governments or a municipality.
- Nothing in the order restricts any activities of a publicly-funded agency, organization or authority that delivers or supports government operations or services, including health-care services. This means the order does not affect institutions, agencies and other service providers who provide health- care services such as hospitals, regional health authorities and private agencies who provide a range of health services.
