COVID-19

A church that began in the middle of the pandemic is preparing to have an in-person congregation for the first time ever.

Pastor Mark Roslund and his wife Roberta held Rose Church's first worship service online on September 27, 2020. One year later, their team is going mobile.

"We are not the first church to meet in a movie theatre, others have in Winnipeg as well," Roslund says. "We just love the idea of this public space that people go to for just watching movies and we can turn it into this place where God is present and He is moving and encountering people."

For the second day in a row, the Northwestern Health Unit is reporting zero new COVID-19 test results across the region.

Currently, the NWHU is reporting two active cases in the NWHU catchment area. One case each in the Kenora and Sioux Lookout Health Regions. One of the active cases is isolating outside of the NWHU area.

A number of restrictions will drop in Manitoba on Saturday, including the mask mandate.

While many people are excited to no longer have to wear a mask in public spaces others are concerned the move is coming too soon.

Dr. Brent Roussin reminded Manitobans this week that while masks are no longer mandated they are still strongly recommended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Private businesses may also choose to still require masks to enter.

There are 54 new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba as of Thursday morning.

Alberta is reporting 397 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours.

Hospitalizations have increased by five for a total of 102. ICU admissions have increased by one to 24.

Sadly, one death has been reported bringing the total in the province to 2,329.

To date, 76.2 per cent of Albertans have now received one COVID-19 vaccination shot and 66.2 per cent of the provincial population are now fully immunized.

Cochrane has added one active case of COVID-19 for a total of 18 and Rocky View County saw an increase of four cases for a total of 24.

Instead of playing at the famous Red Rocks stage in Colorado, Zach Williams is at home recovering from the coronavirus. 

A huge concert called Live at Red Rocks featured many Christian artists played to a packed open-air auditorium on August 3. This included Casting Crowns, We Are Messengers, CAIN, Brandon Heath, and what was supposed to be Williams.

With the last-minute information of Williams's diagnosis and therefore unable to perform, Cory Asbury played instead. 

Some people were not happy about last week's COVID-19 announcement.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr Deena Hinshaw, has apologized for how last Wednesday’s press conference came off. 

“I am sorry that the way I communicated about the planned changes to our COVID-19 response has caused feelings of confusion, fear or anger for some people. I am hearing that the message people received from my words was that I think COVID is over, and that people are being left on their own to deal with it. That was not my intended message,” Hinshaw wrote. 

Teachers can strike up the band in the 2021-2022 school year.

After a year and a half of alternative music classes, the Province of Manitoba's education department is giving teachers the ability to conduct classes with no restrictions.

Some guidance is being given, but overall regular activities are resuming, including wind instrument playing and singing. In those two instances, ensuring adequate ventilation and physical distancing is an ask of the province.

Manitoba's education minister says his department consulted with the Manitoba Teachers' Society on back-to-school plans, but the group is disappointed with the end result.

Manitoba NDP critics and teachers are sharing their concerns after an announcement of near-normal school activities in the fall. On Thursday afternoon, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin and Education Minster Cliff Cullen announced what parents and caregivers can expect for their students in the 2021-2022 school year. This plan will have students back in the classroom, without mask requirements.

Parents are learning what the upcoming school year will look like for their children.

Dr. Brent Roussin and Education Minster Cliff Cullen are sharing their Safe Return to School plan for the 2021-2022 school year.