Does Manitoba have the tightest COVID-19 restrictions? Reality checking Premier Pallister's press conference

Premier Brian Pallister was on the defensive at a news conference Tuesday, as he tried to explain why Manitoba'sICU numbers are surging, why the provincehas the highest infection rate in North America and what his government is doing to stop the spread.

But how much of it reflectsthe reality of what is happening in Manitoba?

CBC producer Kristin Annable looked at some of the statements Pallister made at the press conference with Chief Provincial Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussinto try toseparate the facts from the spin.

1) The majority of COVID-19-positive patients in Manitoba hospitals are unvaccinated.

What Pallister said:

"There are Manitobans who did not bother to take an hour or two and go and get a life-saving vaccine. In fact, over 70 per cent of our hospitalizations currently are folks who haven't been vaccinated."

What's the reality?

The latest figures show that as of last Friday, 70 per centof the 291 Manitobans in hospital with COVID-19 at that point had not received a vaccine dose.

However, to say that they "didn't bother" to get jabbed is disingenuous.

Manitoba only started opening vaccinationsto the general populationunder 40 earlier this month.

Throughout the month, as intensive care unitsbecame more and more crowded and Manitoba started sendingpatients out of province for care,roughly 20 per cent of those in ICUbeds were occupied by people under40 on any given day.

On Wednesday, health officials said about 16per cent of patients in ICU were under 40.

About 35 per cent of all COVID-19 hospitalizations are people under 40, according to data from early May.

Vaccine eligibility for that age group opened between May 8 and May 14 leaving only a small window for them to have scheduled a first dose. Even after that, it takes two to three weeks for vaccines to take fulleffect.

2) Manitoba has enacted tighter restrictions than other provinces.

What Pallister said:

"With every step of the way, we enacted stricter restrictions sooner than other provinces did, relative to the stages they were at."

What's the reality?

If you use the criteria of test positivity rate and rate of infection, Ontario is at least one exampleof a province that announcedtougher restrictions than Manitoba during the heightof itsthird wave of COVID-19 cases.

The week of April 11, Ontario hit 205 cases per 100,000. Its test positivity rate was 8.2 per cent on April 16.

On that day, the province announced it was extending a stay-at-home order that surpassed Manitoba's current restrictions, andstepping up enforcement powers for police.

Ontariohad already limited non-essential businesses to pickup and delivery.

But dire modelling predictions and high case counts prompted the provinceto go further and toclose all recreational amenities, such as golf courses.

Meanwhile, Manitoba had a test positivity rate of 13.3 per cent provincially and 15 per cent in Winnipeg as of Wednesday.It has the worst infection rate in North America, at 227 cases per 100,000 over the last seven days.

While there are limits on gatherings, there is no stay-at-home order, non-essential retail businesses remain open and some recreational activities such as golf remain allowed.

3) Ontario allows more people in businessesthan Manitoba.

What Pallister said:

"Ontario has 25 per cent capacity allowed in the retail stores. We have 10 [per cent]."

What's the reality?

Essential stores are allowed up to25per cent of maximum capacity in Ontario. However, Pallister's comment neglected to mention stores deemed non-essential in Ontariohave been closed for in-store shopping since April 8.

Shopping malls were also closed except to allow access to an essential business or service, or to pick up an order.

In Manitoba, all retail stores and shopping malls remain openand allowed to operateat 10 per cent capacity.With a few exceptions, only one person per household can enter a business to purchaseitems.

4) Some provinces have stay-at-home orders, but still allow outdoor gatherings.

What Dr. Brent Roussin said:

"The stay-at-home order is a way of framing things. Of course, if we look at other jurisdictions, [they]might have a stay-at-home order, but you can still gather up to five people outside your household."

What's the reality?

The remark was made a few times at Tuesday'spress conference. Roussin and Pallister appear to be referencing Ontario.

Under that province'sApril8 order, gatherings with up to five people outside your household were allowed, but the province changed course,andby April 16waslimitingthose gatherings to household members only.

5) People are not getting tested and winding up in hospital.

What Pallister said:

"Too many of those people didn't even bother to get tested for COVID, which means they placed other people in jeopardy as well."

What's the reality?

Pallister is correct numbers provided by Shared Health show that about 43 per cent of those in hospital got their first COVID-19 test after they were admitted.

However, his comments drew swift condemnation from medical professionals, who said sometimes it is not about "choice" for a patient.

Dr. Jillian Horton,a generalinternist in Winnipeg, saidICU doctors have told her thatsymptoms sometimeshit so fast, people don't have timefor a test, and their first call is to 911.

Some present at hospital with symptoms like heart pains, and only learn after they areadmitted the symptoms were caused by COVID-19,she said.