Places of worship seeing some health order changes

Manitoban faith gatherings will see a change to their restrictions on outdoor gatherings this weekend.

During a Tuesday press conference with Dr. Brent Roussin and Premier Brian Pallister, it was announced there would be few changes to indoor gathering sizes for places of worship. These remain set at 150 participants or 50 per cent capacity limit, but now has changes to whichever is greater.

"We are moving from public health restrictions to recommendations but we know that COVID is still with us. We still know those spaces, those crowded spaces, prolonged contact, increases the risk or transmission of not only COVID but the other respiratory viruses that are likely to return," Roussin says. 

Churches, synagogues, and other places of worship will see large changes to outdoor gatherings this weekend. Outdoor worship services will be able to see a maximum of 1,500 people or 50 per cent of the capacity of a place, whichever is lower.

There are other changes that places of worship can expect starting on Saturday. This includes removing the capacity limit on day camps. Mask use will no longer be required but is strongly recommended for indoor public settings, especially for people who are not fully immunized, including children under 12 years old. Individual places of worship can choose to keep a mask mandate.

Weddings, funerals, banquets, receptions and self-help groups can occur indoors with 50 people or a 50 per cent capacity, whichever is higher. Weddings, funerals, and receptions can occur outdoors with a 1,500 participants or 50 per cent capacity maximum, which ever is lower.