A nurse gets a swab ready at a temporary COVID-19 test clinic in Montreal, on Friday, May 15, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
WINNIPEG — Manitoba is reducing the time someone who tests positive for COVID-19 has to self-isolate.
Effective at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, new public health orders will allow fully vaccinated COVID-positive Manitobans to self-isolate for five days instead of 10, in certain situations.
The changes include:
- Requiring all people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to isolate including those who completed a rapid antigen test
- Changing isolation requirements to five days from 10 days since the date of the test for fully-vaccinated people who are not showing symptoms
- Changing isolation requirements to five days from 10 days since the date symptoms started appearing or the date of the test, whichever is later, for fully-vaccinated people as long as their symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever
- Requiring individuals who have only isolated for five days due to the changes above to wear medical-grade masks while in a public setting for the five days immediately following their self-isolation;
- Requiring isolation for people who have tested positive who are not fully vaccinated for 10 days after the date of their test as long as their symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever
Manitoba health officials advise that people leaving isolation must avoid any non-essential visits to high-risk settings or non-essential contact with individuals at high risk for severe disease for an additional five days.
“We have looked at data from Manitoba and other jurisdictions, and feel these changes will balance reducing the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring critical services can continue to operate,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer.
The adjustment to self-isolation requirements aligns with recent changes made in British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick to five days from 10.
