Winnipeg's mayor calls for tighter lockdown on eve of new Manitoba restrictions

Before admonishing the provincial government for not going far enough to lock down Manitoba as COVID-19 cases surged, Mayor Brian Bowman gavea finger-wag at Winnipeggers.

Stay home and resist the urge to celebrate the good weather or a last night of more modest restrictions was his message.

"I would ask Winnipeggers: don't party like it's 1999 tonight or in the coming days or weeks. We know right now the weather is beautiful don't squeeze in some last-minute overcrowded barbecues in your backyard or havepeople over to your house tonight," Bowman told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

The province's latest public health orders intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 come into effect as of Wednesday.The orders leave gatherings in public placescapped at 10, with further restrictionsin place at midnight to the retail, restaurant and recreational sectors, as well as atfaith-based gatherings.

In addition, mostManitobans will no longer be allowed to have any visitors at private residences, either inside or outside. People who live alone are allowed one visitor.

• No private gatherings starting Wednesday as Manitoba tries to 'dampen the third wave': Pallister
• More contagious variant cases of COVID-19 surge by over 300 in Manitoba

Most ofthenew COVID-19 cases announced Tuesday 156of218 across the province were in Winnipeg, with 30 foundin the Prairie Mountain Health region, 15 in Southern Health, 12 in Northern Health and five in Interlake-Eastern.

Bowman said he feels strongly the provincial Progressive Conservative government is not going far enough or reacting soon enoughto stomp on the increasing case numbers and variants of the coronavirus that causes the disease.

"Yeah, I do.I think now is not the time to tinker.I think we need stronger, more proactive measures and we'll continue to advocate in our dialogue with the province to be as proactive as as possible," Bowman said.

He pointed to stricter health orders and restrictions last fall as the path towardgetting the case numbers down.

"The concern is that the less proactive the measures are, the more likely that heavier, more restrictive measures are going to be required at a later date," he said.

On a bustling street corner in Osborne Village Tuesday evening, reaction to Bowman's calls for tighter measures was mixed.

Robin Morrissettevowed toshave his beard the discomfort from wearing a mask so oftenfinally triggered thedecision but he sees value in locking things down tight once again.

"It's not going to last forever. The faster we getit over with, the faster wecan take these things off and try and get back to some normalcy," Morrissette said, pulling at his mask.

Yet others aren't so enthusiastic about another tight lockdown,as fatigue with more than a year of pandemic is wearing some people out.

"Even if they tighten it, things are notgoing to be normal,"said Louise Beauchemin, adding Tuesday was the first time she's been outside in a week.

"I'm so bored with watching movies. I'm bored of talking on the phone instead of looking at somebody. And these darn maskswhen you look at a baby, the baby doesn't even know you're smiling."