Premier, top doctor expected to announce loosening of COVID restrictions on Friday

Premier Heather Stefanson and Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, are expected to make an announcement Friday regarding the "further loosening" of pandemic restrictions, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

"Premier and Dr. Roussin will be out tomorrow to talk about health orders. As you know, they're coming up for renewal," Goertzen said.

"Dr. Roussin talked about targets that he had in terms of lifting restrictions and updates, and they will provide you an update about the further loosening of restrictions."

The province has scheduled a news conferencefor 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Goertzenwas meeting with media to discuss the anti-restrictions protests at border crossings andoutside the provincial legislature the first words from a senior government official since the legislature protest began last Friday when he hinted at Roussin and Stefansonproviding further details on peeling back restrictions.

"The evidence that we are seeing right now is we are certainly on the better side of the Omicron wave. Dr. Roussin indicated that he believed restrictions could be lifted by spring, and we are fast approaching spring," Goertzen said.

He was asked whether the protest outside the legislature in Winnipeg in any way shapedFriday's announcementabout restrictions.

Goertzen's said "they might have" had Roussin not clearly indicated the direction the province is heading before the protesting started.

On Feb. 2, Roussintold reporters:"I think the message is that given wherewe are right now,if we don't see anything unexpected, that we're looking at arestriction-free Manitoba by spring."