After being delayed to allow time to examine the data trends, new public health orders will go into effect across Manitoba on February 8th. These new orders will include a loosening of restrictions on private gatherings as well as removing the hard cap on capacity in public venues such as arenas, concert halls, and churches, although the 50% capacity restriction will remain. Liquor sales will be extended to midnight from 10 pm, and sports tournaments will again be allowed again.

The new restrictions will be in effect for 2 weeks, rather than the 4 week intervals we’ve seen in the past. This is due to the shorter incubation period for the omicron variant, which means we see what effect the restrictions have in a shorter period of time.

As long as the trend continues, Premier Stefanson indicates that she hopes later in the spring to be able to relax all restrictions and move instead into recommendations.

One question people have posed repeatedly is how many reported hospitalisations are the result of COVID versus secondary to the actual reason for admission. Dr Roussin reports that in 60% of hospitalizations of people who test positive for COVID-19, the infection is incidental to the reason they have been admitted, but that it also becomes a complicating factor in their care. Regardless of the primary reason for the admission, it does not change the strain on the system and the increased care requirements. What it does have an effect on is how the province tracks community spread of the virus, judges system load, and approaches its health orders and recommendations.

In ICU that number is reversed, and 70% of ICU admissions who test positive for the virus are there as a result of the COVID-19 infection.

Premier Stefanson also announced an expansion of the Sector Support Program which provides assistance to businesses affected by the COVID-19 public health order restrictions. Businesses previously approved will receive a second payment, and eligibility will be expanded to include businesses such as event rentals and caterers with an intake deadline extended to the end of February.

As well, the province is putting an additional $6 million into the Arts and Culture Sustainability Fund supporting a sector which, as she and many others have said, is usually the first to close and last to reopen under public health orders.

COVID fatigue seems to be hitting residents across the province, manifesting in an uptick in mask order violations and fines as well as support for protests such as the trucker convoy.  Stefanson hopes that a loosening of the health orders will help to alleviate some of that stress that people have been enduring.