Manitoba shuts down churches and gyms, keeps weed stores open in new lockdown

The Government of Manitoba is reimposing a full provincewide lockdown as the entire province is put into “red alert” following 384 new cases of COVOD-19 and five new deaths on Tuesday.

The new lockdown was announced on Tuesday by Premier Brian Pallister and Chief Provincial Health Officer Dr. Brent Russein, who stated that "We are truly at a crossroads in our fight against this pandemic."

Starting on Thursday, all of Manitoba’s “non essential” retail stores, restaurants, bars, hair salons, movie theatres, and other businesses that aren’t deemed “essential” by the government will have to close.

The province is also cracking down on physical activity, banning team sports and shutting down gyms, despite the fact that a study has shown that the chance of contracting COVID-19 is 0.0023 percent.

Faith and spiritual activities are also affected by the new lockdowns, with churches being forced to close and return to online services. This has some health experts concerned, as exercise and faith are beneficial to mental health, and the mental health of Canadians has never been worse.

Cannabis and alcohol stores are not affected by this new lockdown, as the government has deemed them “essential”. Other businesses deemed essential include grocery stores, gas stations, construction stores, pharmacies, pet food stores, office supply stores, and computer stores.

Extremely long lines and empty shelves were seen in Winnipeg as Manitobans are quickly rushing to grocery stores to stock up for the lockdown. The grocery stores will have a 25 percent capacity, meaning that patrons can expect to wait in line before being able to shop for groceries.

A resident of Winnipeg shared a video on twitter showing an incredibly long line in front of a Costco.

The province has also put in place a complete ban on home gatherings. Schools however will stay open, despite the fact that they are a major source of transmission.

The lockdown comes into effect Thursday and is supposed to last for two weeks, however the government has asked businesses to prepare for four weeks.