WINNIPEG - An engagement survey launched by the province asking Manitobans for feedback about possible changes to the Pandemic Response System has received nearly 23,000 responses, and well over 1,000 Manitobans have subscribed to updates from Engage Manitoba.
The province is considering several options, including further increasing outside gathering limits, expanding capacity at retail stores and places of worship, expanding restaurant dining criteria to include a household and their designated visitors, and allowing indoor sports games.
Other changes could include allowing cinemas, concert halls, and casinos to be open at limited capacity, and removing the requirement for Canadian travelers who do not have symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days after travelling for business reasons.
On the agenda as well is moving the response level from Red (Critical) to Orange (Restricted). An Orange designation means that community transmission of COVID-19 is happening, but the virus is being transmitted at levels that the healthcare system can manage. The current Red designation that was given in late October last year had indicated that community spread of COVID-19 was not contained.
Shared Health also wants suggestions on the timing of these changes, such as whether to implement them before or after the Easter and Passover holidays. But the Engage Manitoba platform also allows citizens to ask specific, open-ended questions about current public health advice, and what it means for them, their families, and their businesses.
If you haven’t already offered feedback on what you’d like the next steps to be in adjusting the province’s pandemic response, you can do so here.
What do you think?