Business sector onside with incoming COVID-19 restrictions

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This article was published 02/09/2021 (1660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Businesses are largely in support of new public health orders taking effect Friday, the head of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce says — especially if the alternative is another lockdown.

“The last thing we want to happen is that businesses will be forced to close their doors for a fourth time,” chambers president and chief executive officer Chuck Davidson said Thursday.

“The concern that business has more than anything is potentially having to close their doors again,” he said.

“And if it’s a decision between, do we put these measures in place that allow the businesses to be open and all they need to do is to be able to check those people who are coming into our establishment… or having to close our doors again and lay off our staff, then it’s an easy decision for those businesses.”

Davidson publicly backed the new health orders, alongside chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, during a news conference call.

He said most restaurants and other businesses (local chambers represent close to 10,000 businesses) recognize the majority of Manitobans are vaccinated, so they’ll have a customer base if they can stay open safely. The provincial business body is working with government to provide consistent signage that explain the proof-of-vaccination requirement.

Requiring proof of vaccination at restaurants, food courts, movie theatres, museums and other indoor businesses is not a short-term measure, Roussin said.

Public health is encouraging employers to require their staff to be vaccinated. Manitoba now mandates several categories of provincial staff must be vaccinated.

Outdoor gathering limits are shrinking as part of the tightened restrictions. As of Sept. 7, the capacity limit at outdoor gatherings is 500, down from 1,500. Any events that have already been approved by public health won’t be affected by the change, Roussin said.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Manitoba is creeping up, and about two-thirds of those infected are unvaccinated. Roussin said of the 36 cases detected Thursday, 24 were among unvaccinated Manitobans.

“That becomes much more clear when we speak about severe outcomes. We have very, very few people who need to be hospitalized after being fully vaccinated,” the doctor said.

— with files from Kevin Rollason

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay