The province is putting more restrictions in place for students in several regions starting on Monday.

Starting next week, students will see changes in their classrooms. These changes include the way a classroom could look for those in the Metro Winnipeg area and the Northern Health Region.

Dr. Brent Roussin says the reason for the changes is due to community transmission outside of schools.

The province is asking schools to:

  • ensure two metres of physical distancing to the greatest extent possible, and adjust classroom space as necessary; excess furniture must be removed from classrooms to create additional space, and other spaces within schools must be repurposed to accommodate more distancing (e.g., multipurpose rooms, empty rooms, shared spaces, common areas and libraries).
  • only continue extracurricular activities if distancing and learning requirements in schools are met. The province says established guidelines must be followed and, in the case of sports, participants should maintain distance when not active.
  • teachers and staff who move across school cohorts will need to wear a medical-grade face mask. This includes substitute teachers. The province has issued disposable medical masks to schools.

A number of things will also be halted for the time being:

  • field trips must be postponed or cancelled
  • wind instruments are not permitted
  • indoor choirs are not permitted

Blended learning for grades 9-12 will be required for places where distancing cannot be achieved will continue. Kindergarten to Grade 8 students may be offered a temporary remote learning option for the duration of Level Orange.

The new orders all fall under the Orange Level of the COVID-19 pandemic. The province says all other public health measures are still in effect.