Thread by @karenpaulscbc

Provincial health and education officials are holding news conferences at 1:30 and 3:30 pm today to announce more #Covid19MB restrictions for schools.

The province is reporting three new #COVID19MB deaths and 532 new cases. The five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 10.9 per cent provincially and 13 per cent in Winnipeg.

Breaking: MB Education Min Cliff Cullen says effective May 12, all K-12 schools in Winnipeg and Brandon are going to full remote learning until May 30. There are some exceptions eg for younger students of essential workers who can't make other arrangements.

For schools staying open:
•  schools with multiple cases (outside of same household cases) will go to remote learning;
•   school officials can require students and/or staff showing symptoms to stay home for 10 days and encourage them to get tested

Another exception: schools will be able to accommodate K to Gr 12 high-risk students and those with special needs.

.@roussin_brent says what changed is a dramatic increase in cases, community transmission and strain on healthcare system. Schools have been safe but this is one way to break transmission chains. Education Min @CliffCullenMLA says this is a proactive measure in Wpg and Brandon.

Roussin says kids aged 12 and up will be eligible for vaccination sometime in May so that may help get kids back in class by the end of the school year. Says schools should be the last to close and first to open.

Roussin says 20% of cases are in schools. The majority have been infected in households and gatherings. Now there is widespread community spread that they can't link to specific events.

Roussin is asked what exactly has changed when he's been saying schools are safe. He says this is a one-in-100 year pandemic and with the VOC, we're now seeing increasing cases in younger cohorts. He's getting similar Q's to what he got in court on Friday.