As the numbers of COVID-19 cases remain relatively low in the province, the Government of Manitoba is reminding residents that recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

"We are in a marathon and we are in the lead, or very close to the lead."

Manitoba's Premier used that analogy this afternoon, on a day that should have seen one of the world's most prestigious running races take place. The 124th running of the Boston Marathon has been postponed to September as the result of COVID-19. But, Pallister did not shy away from using the comparison.

Pallister says when you compare the number of cases of COVID-19 in our province, our numbers are lower, for our size, than almost any jurisdiction in the country. As of Monday, the totals are:

  • Quebec - 19,319 cases
  • Ontario - 11,184 cases
  • Alberta - 2,803 cases
  • British Columbia - 1,618 cases
  • Nova Scotia - 721 cases
  • Saskatchewan - 316 cases
  • Newfoundland and Labrador - 257 cases
  • Manitoba - 254 cases
  • New Brunswick - 118 cases
  • Prince Edward Island - 26 cases
  • Yukon - 9 cases
  • Northwest Territories - 5 cases
  • Nunavut - 0 cases

Pallister is quick to point out that there is a danger with being in the lead. 

"The danger is that people will stop exercising the fundamentals that got us in the lead in the first place," the Premier adds.

He explains, if you are leading a marathon at the halfway point of the race, you do not stop doing what got you there.

"You keep doing it and we have to adhere to the fundamentals to make sure that we get through this together with as little damage to our people as we can possibly have," he says.

Having said that, Pallister says we understand, probably better than ever, that a healthy economy is what powers our healthy social services. He notes the government wants Manitobans to get back to work and provide goods and services as soon as it is safe. He adds for that reason they have initiated a number of different exercises to partner with various aspects of the Manitoba economy, with business groups and business individuals in each of those small business sectors.

"We are developing protocols," he says. "And those protocols have to be meeting the standards of protecting the safety and well being of the people who work in those businesses, but also those who choose to go to them to shop." 

Moving forward, he says government hopes to make progress, but progress can only be made with two things in tandem. First of all, public safety must always be the number one concern. And, only when that is addressed effectively, as is being done with such things as increased testing, can our province move forward with confidence from all Manitobans.