Manitoba’s premier says the province is looking at moving into the next phase of reopening amid COVID-19 — including increasing gathering sizes, opening casinos to half-capacity, and lifting restrictions on retail and indoor recreation sites — as early as this weekend.
Brian Pallister said Tuesday the province is looking for public feed back on the plan, which could see the fourth phase of reopening kick in starting as early as July 25.
“Thanks to the efforts of all Manitobans, we continue to lead in recovery and have among the lowest COVID-19 test positivity rates in the country,” said Pallister in a release.
“That means we can continue our careful, balanced plan to restart our economy, give people back their lives and get Manitobans back to work.”
increasing gathering sizes to 75 people indoors and 250 outdoors, where members of the public are reasonably able to maintain a separation of at least two metres from others, except for brief exchanges. Larger group sizes would be allowed where distinct groups of 75 or 250 can be separated to prevent contact with other groups.
increasing visitation at personal care and long-term care facilities, ensuring a balanced approach to visitation is required which mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission within sites. Each resident or designate would be able to identify two support people who would be able to visit the resident’s room indoors. Outdoor visits would be allowed for a reasonable number of visitors (up to four people) per resident, depending on availability of space. Each site will need to develop specific plans for enabling outdoor/indoor visitation by visitors to ensure the safety of residents within the facilities.
adjusting restrictions for faith-based gatherings, pow wows and other cultural and spiritual events, as well as resuming live theatrical performances and movie theatres. No cohorts will be required and capacity will increase to 50 per cent of the site’s capacity or 500 people, whichever is lower. Adequate physical distancing between individuals and households must continue to be provided.
opening casinos, with a maximum occupancy of 50 per cent of the site’s capacity. Physical distancing, and frequent and enhanced cleaning and wiping of surfaces are required.
lifting occupancy restrictions in all retail settings and indoor recreation sites except for gyms, fitness centres, martial arts, gymnastic clubs and yoga studios. These sites must remain at occupancy levels of 50 per cent or one person per 10 square metres, whichever is lower.
allowing closer distancing at therapeutic health businesses and personal service businesses such as hair and nail salons where a non-permeable barrier is installed.
allowing counter walk-up service in bars, beverage rooms and brew pubs provided non-permeable barriers and hand sanitizer is available for patrons, along with more frequent cleaning and wiping of services.
The province is also looking at removing the 14-day, self-isolation travel restriction for domestic travel within Canada, the premier added.
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Currently, anyone entering Manitoba from the Atlantic provinces and Quebec, as well as Ontario communities east of Terrace Bay — a small community on Lake Superior — are required to self-isolate for two weeks.
Pallister said Manitoba is the only province outside the Atlantic region with such a rule for domestic visitors, and doing away with it can be done safely.
“We’ve demonstrated that we have the discipline to live with each other while maintaining … distancing, while doing our hand-washing, while keeping each other safe,” Pallister said.
“I would say to those who are afraid, I’m afraid too, I’m afraid too. But I’m not going to let fear rule my life and I’d ask you not to let fear rule yours.”
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Today, I pleased to share with Manitobans the DRAFT plan for Phase Four of Restoring Safe Services Together. We hope to be in a position to move forward and ease some additional restrictions as early as THIS Saturday, July 25th, 2020. Learn more here: https://t.co/wNGGn0EmPtpic.twitter.com/JgT3YQjOr4
Manitobans can weigh in on the proposed changes at the province’s website and a telephone town hall meeting is planned for Wednesday.
On Monday the premier announced the province will make a bid for Winnipeg to be a hub city for a shortened CFL season amid COVID-19, should the league go ahead with play later this year.
He said the province is committing $2.5 million to help encourage the CFL to choose Winnipeg.
Pallister said the money will come from an $8 million event attraction strategy, aiming to “maximize the potential” of destinations in both Winnipeg and rural Manitoba to host “large-scale meetings, conventions, and events.”
Manitoba has recorded 366 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases to date — a lower rate than most other provinces. Seven people have died and 41 cases remained active Tuesday.
The province had dropped to one active case on July 13, but has seen an outbreak on a few Hutterite colonies in recent days and a couple of positive tests among international travellers.
The province should start encouraging Manitobans to wear masks as a reasonable measure in response to the additional re-opening steps proposed in phase 4. As some precautions are lifted we can start encouraging folks to add other ones
The Opposition New Democrats said the government should hire more nurses and child-care workers as more businesses open up, and also consider a greater focus on masks.
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“The province should start encouraging Manitobans (to) wear masks as a reasonable tradeoff to keep families safe as additional reopening measures are implemented,” NDP Leader Wab Kinew said in a written statement.
Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont criticized the loosening of interprovincial travel rules.
“The Premier seems to think that Manitoba is somehow immune from COVID-19. We have not beaten it. We have only kept it at bay,” Lamont said.
–With files from The Canadian Press
1:13 Manitoba Hutterite Colonies hit by COVID-19
Manitoba Hutterite Colonies hit by COVID-19
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
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To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
