Outdoor capacity restrictions, vaccination requirements for weddings take effect Tuesday

New restrictions on outdoor gatherings sizes will come into effect early next week and vaccine requirements are being put in place for more venues, Manitoba's public health chief announced Thursday.

Capacity restrictions on outdoor gathering sizes will be lowered to 500, from the current 1,500 maximum, starting Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, food courts, museums and galleries will also need to start checking visitors for proof that they are fully vaccinated.

Wedding receptions on licensed premises will be subject to the same requirements as restaurants but will only be required to start checking for vaccine proof on Tuesday. Restaurants must begin checking on Saturday for both indoor and outdoor dining.

Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, made the announcement on Thursday in a video news conference, along with Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

The new restrictions are being implemented to try to blunt the effects of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic Roussin said.

"We need to continue to protect our health-care system from the increased hospitalizations and ICU admissions that our modelling shows and really what we're seeing right now in other jurisdictions, which is on its way here to Manitoba," he said.

The province hopes that the tighter restrictions will motivate more Manitobans to get the shot.

"This is not a short-term measure, this proof of vaccination status," Roussin said.

"We're just at the beginning of our fourth wave, and we're going to be seeing a return to a lot of indoor activities as the weather starts changing in the fall, so we need to plan that these requirements will be in place for quite some time, so don't delay your vaccine appointment."

Roussin said the province gave the three-day grace period for some orders to provide "a level of fairness."

The capacity restrictions will apply to summer fairs and festivals, with some exceptions approved by public health. Any events previously approved will also be exempt, Roussin said.

Vaccination requirements starting Friday 

The province announced last week that, starting Sept. 3, new vaccination requirements would come into effect for a wide variety of business and services, such as gyms, movie theatres and nightclubs.

Previously, bars had to keep dance floors closed and music volumes below 80 decibels, but those restrictions will be lifted on Friday.

The health order states that exceptions to the vaccination requirement can be made for people who can show proof from the Government of Manitoba that there is a medical reason why they can't receive the vaccine.

When asked which documents of proof would exclude a person from the vaccine requirement, a spokesperson for the provincial government said the province's medical advisory committee had not identified "any health conditions that would be a permanent contraindication to the vaccine."

People getting takeout also do not need to show proof of vaccination.

The restrictions also don't apply to unvaccinated people on a golf course, as long as they don't go anywhere subject to a liquor licence.

Mask requirements already came back into effect on Saturday.

Both Roussin and Davidson stressed that the new public health orders are being imposed on Manitoba businesses, and urged anyone who opposes the measures to show patience with staff who are forced to enforce them.

"These restrictions are made by the provincial government and public health officials, not by the server or hostess at your local restaurant," said Davidson.

"Unfortunately, they've been forced to take the brunt of it."

Vaccination requirements also apply to indoor recreation facilities and group classes. Youth participating in group sports are exempt, but all adults attending games, as well as coaches and staff, must be fully vaccinated.

Capacity restrictions won't apply to professional sporting and concert events, because they already require proof of vaccination. 

Children who are too young to be vaccinated are allowed to go to restaurants, theatres and other events with a vaccinated adult, provincial officials said last week.