Manitoba Government Press Release–On March 20, the Manitoba government declared a provincewide state of emergency under The Emergency Measures Act, to protect the health and safety of all Manitobans and reduce the spread of COVID-19. This state of emergency is being extended for an additional 30 days.
This builds on the expansion of public health orders that limit the size of gatherings, close restaurants and non-critical businesses, require people entering Manitoba to self-isolate for 14 days and restrict travel to northern Manitoba (north of the 53rd parallel of latitude).
Extending the state of emergency will ensure measures can stay in place to protect the health of people across the province.
Public health officials have continued to expand testing criteria and want to ensure all those who are eligible for testing are tested. Anyone who thinks they might meet the criteria for testing should call Health Links–Info Santé or work through the online screening tool to determine if they should be tested.
Testing is focused on symptomatic people from the following categories:
• travellers returning to Manitoba;
• close contact with a confirmed case;
• lab workers who have worked with COVID-19 tests;
• health-care workers;
• people who live/work in the north, isolated or group settings, correctional facilities, shelters, long-term care or residential facilities or remote work camps;
• first responders;
• workers or volunteers at workplaces that have been identified as essential services; and
• any symptomatic person who lives with a health-care worker, first responder or worker in a congregate setting such as a correctional facility, shelter, long-term care or residential facility.
Any person concerned about their exposure to or risk of having COVID-19 should call Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or (toll-free) at 1-888-315-9257 to be screened to see if a test is required. For up-to-date information on community screening sites, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/locations.html.
For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, visit:
www.manitoba.ca/covid19.
A comprehensive list of Manitoba government COVID-19 measures can be found at:
https://manitoba.ca/bg/2020/04/covid19.html.