Manitoba announces schools K-12 in Winnipeg, Brandon moving to remote learning | FULL

Manitoba Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced Sunday that effective Wednesday, May 12 until May 30, all kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in Winnipeg and Brandon will move to remote learning.

Cullen was joined by chief medical officer of health Dr. Brent Roussin to make the announcement.

Schools moving to remote learning will still be able to accommodate in-person learning for students in kindergarten to Grade 6 who are children of critical services workers who can not make alternative arrangements, as long as those students are not required to self-isolate.

He added the schools could also accommodate in-person learning for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 who are considered high-risk or have special needs.

Roussin also announced that schools outside of Winnipeg and Brandon, while not moving to remote learning, will see public health measures put in place including the suspension of extra-curricular activities, organized sports and off-site activities. He also said schools with multiple COVID-19 cases, outside of the same household, would be proactively moved to remote learning. School officials can also require students or staff showing symptoms to stay home for 10 days and encourage them to seek testing.

The announcement comes as new public health orders for the province to curb the spread of COVID-19 amid surging case numbers took effect.

Roussin said Friday the changes would go into effect at midnight on Sunday and last until at least May 30.

Under the new rules restaurants, bars, and patios will be closed to in-person dining, and gyms, fitness centres, museums, libraries, and day camps will also will be forced to close. Outdoor gatherings that include people from multiple households will be limited to a maximum of five people.

Roussin said restaurants will still be able to provide take-out and delivery under the new rules.

Further changes will see indoor community, cultural and religious gatherings prohibited and personal services such as estheticians, barbers, salons and tanning salons closed.

Retail stores, markets and garden centres will be allowed to remain open, but at 10 per cent capacity, or 100 people, whichever is lower. Malls can stay open with capacity capped at 10 per cent.

Dance, theatre, and music schools, though, will have to close under the new orders, and Roussin said outdoor sports and recreation activities will have a maximum of five participants and organized team games will not be permitted.

Health officials reported 488 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths in Manitoba on Saturday, including a woman in her 20s and man in his 70s both from Winnipeg, and a man in his 80s from Prairie Mountain Health region. The province's death toll sits at 990.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7846770/covid-19-province-to-announce-additional-covid-19-measures-for-schools-on-sunday/

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