Churches to wait for reopening news

The Chief Provincial Health Officer is hoping that once something is allowed to reopen, it will stay open.

Feedback from the latest provincial survey is set to be released in the next couple of days. Over 63,500 Manitobans have taken the survey since it first became available Friday. 

"I think we are going to provide a good wrap-up of the things that we saw," Dr. Brent Roussin says, noting that the province is encouraged after seeing tens of thousands of Manitobans engage with them. The results of that survey are expected to be shared with the public before Thursday. 

Roussin says it is too soon to speculate what will open and at what capacity but says they hope to keep the industries open for good. The doctor says when they do open, it will be done slowly. Roussin does not want to "go backwards" and cause things to close again.

Roussin could not say if faith gatherings such as church services will be occurring this weekend.

"We have to remember how this virus is transmitted, right. Enclosed spaces, close contact, prolonged indoor contact. So those factors need to be considered as we start to reopen."

When faith-based gatherings were permitted, the province saw the spread of COVID-19 during the services, including one instance where the virus was contracted at a religious gathering and spread to a care home, creating an outbreak.

If changes to the orders pertaining to businesses occur, the province will let them know as soon as possible so they can prepare. Roussin says the goal of a cautious reopening, for businesses and otherwise, is for once the doors are open, they do not need to close again due to the health orders.

"We are going to try as early as this week to give that signal. We know that businesses appreciate some of that prior notice to get things moving."

The province has not yet made an official announcement regarding what will be permitted to open or the regulations around reopenings. The top doc says Manitoba has a "long way to go" but is hopeful after seeing the spread of the virus dwindling.