Strange days: A look at Winnipeg as it copes with COVID-19
As March rolled through its second week and temperatures climbed, the main topics of conversation in Winnipeg were whether patio season was around the corner and how bad the flooding might be. People didn't recognize how quickly things would change.
Just a week after that first presumptive case was announced, Manitoba now has a total of 17 cases
Winnipeg Richardson International Airport is open but practically empty amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. (Trevor Brine/CBC)
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As March rolled through its second week and temperatures climbed, the main topics of conversation in Winnipeg were whether patio season was around the corner and how bad the flooding might be.
There were no known cases of COVID-19 in the entire province, and the chances of contracting the illness here were still being labelled as "low risk" by health officials. While concerned about what was happening in other parts of the world, most Manitobans went about their daily routines.
Within five days, everything quickly changed. Stocks of hand sanitizer disappeared and the toilet paper shelves emptied.
The province announced its first presumptive COVID-19 case on March 12 and hours later added No. 2 and No. 3. It also announced the number of people being tested had soared from 40 in a day to 500.
Then the dominoes really began to fall. Professional sports teams suspended their seasons and an avalanche of cancellations followed, reaching into amateur and minor and community levels.
Only a handful of people were on a recent morning rush-hour bus ride that is typically standing-room only. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)
This is the new reality at the St. James YMCA gymnasium and aerobics studio. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Stores, museums, schools, government offices, tourist attractions, theatre productions, restaurants, places of worship, and flights have all been shut down or scaled back.
As of March 18, just under one week after that first presumptive case was announced, Manitoba now has 17 presumptive or confirmed cases and has tested nearly 3,000 people.
The days have turned cold again but no one seems to be talking about the weather anymore.
All is quiet inside Prairie Theatre Exchange in downtown Winnipeg. The seats are empty and musical instruments from a production that was suddenly halted remain on stage. (Gary Solilak/CBC)
People in masks enter and exit an Access health clinic where people with coronavirus symptoms can get tested. The province has eight dedicated testing sites in Manitoba — four in Winnipeg and one each in Thompson, Flin Flon, The Pas and Brandon. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)
Every day feels like the Monday of a long weekend. Traffic is light and few pedestrians are out.
Rather than posts about Friyaay and Throwback Thursday, social media is now full of phrases like #socialdistancing and #flattenthecurve, and #staysafe.
Here's how Winnipeg looks in these strange days.
Signs are posted in windows at many businesses, like this one at Winnipeg's downtown Hudson's Bay store, announcing they are closed to protect staff and customers from the spread of COVID-19. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)
Business continues at Bernstein's Deli on Corydon Avenue in Winnipeg but the restaurant has reduced its seating from 64 seats to 30 to create more room for social distancing. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)
Despite the warnings against being in crowds, the lineups are long at some stores that remain open as people try to stock up. (Submitted by Darin Morash)
The lights are off at Winnipeg's outdoor rinks as community centres have been shut down. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Winnipeg libraries are part of the long list of places closed due to COVID-19. The book depository has been taped to notify people that books cannot be returned at this time. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
A worker cleans and disinfects at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. (Trevor Brine/CBC)
Toilet paper is in short supply, or completely sold out, at some stores in Manitoba. (Riley Laychuk/CBC)
Tim Hortons has set aside all of its chairs and tables and is only providing take-out service. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
The Forks Market was nearly empty on March 17 before it was closed later that same day, when Parks Canada announced all national historic sites would be shut down until further notice. (Trevor Brine/CBC)
Like many other places around the city and province, the indoor swimming pool at the YMCA-YWCA's West Portage branch in Winnipeg is silent. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
The St. James Civic Centre and all other city recreation complexes are closed. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
The plug has been pulled on many signs as restaurants and retailers are no longer inviting anyone inside. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Darren Bernhardt specializes in offbeat and local history stories. He is the author of two bestselling books: The Lesser Known: A History of Oddities from the Heart of the Continent, and Prairie Oddities: Punkinhead, Peculiar Gravity and More Lesser Known Histories.
