Road ahead brings new challenges

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/05/2020 (2174 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On May 4, Manitobans began their journey towards the new normal. It’s a phased-in effort, with some services restored and some businesses allowed to open.

Businesses allowed to reopen will face new challenges. They’ll often serve limited numbers of clients in a business day, employ different procedures, use personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks and hand sanitizer, all in addition to practising mandatory physical distancing rules.

For up-to-date information on the services available, please visit manitoba.ca/covid19/
This spring is particularly welcomed by all Manitobans. Fresh air and getting back to more normalcy have a positive mental effect that’s hard to quantify but we all know it’s there.

Loved ones separated in personal care homes, children and students missing school and social opportunities, families worried about jobs and finances, reduced social contacts for people living alone — these are just a few areas we all have to deal with as part of our new reality.

Seniors and many people on fixed incomes are being asked to pay the full costs of securing our drug supply by having their prescription refills limited to 30 days instead of the more normal 90-day prescriptions, resulting in a tripling of their dispensing fees. As of early May, this remained an outstanding issue.

On an upbeat note, a big congratulations to the staff and students at Elmwood High for being one of the province’s two high schools winning Staples Canada’s $20,000 Superpower Your School contest, an annual competition in collaboration with EcoKids and Earth Day Canada to mark Earth Month.

Elmwood students submitted entries detailing their school’s innovative environmental efforts and won technology that help in at-home learning.

For further information on provincial programming, please contact my office at Jim.Maloway@Yourmanitoba.ca , or call my office at 204-415-1122.