Restaurants, bars must shut down in-person dining under new public health orders
Restaurants, bars and patios in Manitoba will once again have to close to in-person dining as of Sunday, while many other businesses will have to shut down entirely for three weeks, as the province works to slow its rising third wave of COVID-19.
"We've done this before and I know that Manitobans can do it again. This time, we do see that hope. We do see a summer where we have high vaccine uptake and low COVID numbers," Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said at a Friday evening news conference.
Gyms, museums and day camps in Manitoba are among those that will have to shut down under the new health orders, which come into effect as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday. So will fitness centres, galleries and libraries. Casinos will remain closed, and VLTs will not be allowed to operate.
Indoor religious, cultural and community gatherings will also no longer be allowed starting Sunday. Outdoor gatherings in public areas involving people from more than one household will be limited to a maximum of five people, down from the current limit of 10. Self-help gatherings will be allowed to continue, but are also limited to 10 participants.
Restaurants and bars can remain open, but only takeout and delivery service will be allowed.
Visits to private residences — whether indoors or outdoors — remain prohibited, per existing public health orders.