WINNIPEG – A few things will change when COVID-19 restrictions expire Friday night at midnight.

Rules will ease a bit for most of Manitoba on Saturday but not the Northern Health Region. Current code red measures will remain in effect there because of high case counts.

In Winnipeg and the rest of the province, the following changes will be made for at least three weeks:

• household limits: orders will be expanded to allow increased personal connections to support the well-being of Manitobans by allowing:
– two designated people (family or friends) to visit a household under a new ‘rule of two’;
– outdoor visits of up to five people only plus members of a household on an outdoor private property; and
– funerals to have up to 10 people in addition to the officiant under clear COVID-19 protection protocols.
• retail operations: orders will be expanded to eliminate the essential items list, allowing all stores to open for the sale of products provided they maintain physical distancing and occupancy limits of 25 per cent only or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower.
• health and personal services: orders will be expanded to allow for the operation of basic services that promote physical and mental health for Manitobans:
– non-regulated health services, such as pedorthists and reflexologists, to reopen with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes; and
– barber shops and hair stylists to reopen at 25 per cent capacity with adequate physical distancing and requirements to collect information for contact tracing purposes.