Manitoba to get increased Public Health Order restrictions

Premier Brian Pallister says next week the province is rolling out an incentive program to encourage people to get their vaccinations.

He says it is an ambitious undertaking, but the province is set to announce a new incentive program.

Pallister says Public Health officials are very concerned about the increase in cases. He says Manitobans "must aim higher" for vaccinations to prevent further waves.

"We are all tired of the yo-yos. We love our valleys. We live in the Red River Valley, most of us. We like our valley more than the peak," the Premier says.

He says the virus is "evil" and is putting his faith in Public Health officials.

Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer will be announcing further Public Health Order restrictions Thursday at 4 p.m.

The Premier says the restrictions will affect the May Long weekend.

Pallister says he respects the right to choose but vaccinations will affect the overall population and their ability to get back to normal. In the Thursday press conference, he is asking Manitobans to get vaccinated "so you can go to church" and do other public gatherings. 

As of Wednesday morning, 666,508 doses of vaccine have been administered. As of Saturday, more than half of all adults in the province received their first COVID-19 vaccine after three days earlier eligibility expanded to all adults in the province.

Currently, hospital capacity is stretched thin as the province works to train nurses for intensive care beds. As the province deals with the shortage, Pallister says "nothing is off the table" when it comes to asking the military and other provinces for help, but did not say if they have been in conversation. Three Manitoban patients are out of the province in Thunder Bay after local hospitals maxed out their intensive care capacity.