New health orders come into effect Tuesday that include reducing gathering sizes when unvaccinated people are present.
CKDM asked Manitoba's chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin how the government feels it can effectively enforce these new rules.
“The big thing is that enforcement is only one part of the puzzle. So certainly enforcement has always been a part of it, enforcement does occur and will continue to occur, but it’s only one part of it. That outreach that’s occurring from many of our partners in all regions is going to continue, our public health messaging is going to continue, and our messaging about the significant climb in cases and hospitalizations.”
Roussin says that it’s understandable if people aren’t happy with the new rules.
“I think there’s a lot of fatigue out there, but it’s just a matter of alternatives. So with these restrictions in place, this is really to do what we can to avoid over-running the health care system, so that it’s there for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, and COVID care and non-COVID care.”
The new health orders include limiting private indoor gatherings to guests from one other household when an unvaccinated person who’s eligible for the vaccine is present.
Gatherings on outdoor private property will be limited to 10 people when any unvaccinated people who are eligible are present.
Indoor public gatherings are being reduced to 25 people or 25 percent capacity, whichever is lower when any unvaccinated people who are eligible for the vaccine are present.
Outdoor public gatherings are being reduced to 50 people, regardless of immunization status.
The new orders will come into effect on Tuesday, Oct. 5th at 12:01 a.m.
