What Easter 2021 in Manitoba will look like

This year's Easter celebrations will have looser restrictions than last year, including opportunities to worship in church and gather with loved ones.

Manitoba's Chief Public Health officer says there are opportunities to gather on a limited basis.

"I think that the issue here is what we have been mentioning is the more people gather, the more transmission we will see. Although it is a time of year where people tend to travel and to gather, it is going to need to look different this year."

Non-essential travel is discouraged. Those who do face restrictions such as quarantining when arriving in Manitoba.

Churches

In 2020, lockdowns across the province meant places of worship had to close their doors for Easter, but that will not be the case in 2021. Churches will be able to have in-person worship services this year, following the guidelines.

While seated in households masks are optional, but Roussin is encouraging people to wear them, especially while singing.

"My advice: wear that mask whenever possible, even when it is not enforceable with the public health act. We have people who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and they could be in these areas."

Churches currently can open to a 25 per cent maximum capacity, or 100 people, whichever is lower. Roussin says they have no intention to further restrict the province. Virtual and drive-in services are allowed.

Gatherings

The dinner table at Easter will have fewer seats than normal, but Roussin says there are still ways to celebrate with loved ones,

"I'd encourage Manitobans to look for alternate ways to celebrate: to do so within those bubbles, to do so outdoors, to do so virtually."

Roussin says Manitobans can gather in groups of 10 people or fewer outdoors, or meet indoors with their designated household or people.

Those attending restaurants can dine outside on patios with people of other households in groups of up to six people. Indoor diners can only sit with their household.

Roussin says the more cases there are, the more difficult it will be to vaccinate.

"We are really in that race to get Manitobans vaccinated but it is really going to impair our ability to vaccinate Manitobans if we start seeing high test positivity rates again."

He is asking people to restrict their gatherings sizes to prevent potential COVID-19 exposures.