COVID-19: Police called after mask wearing disputes escalated in Winkler – Winnipeg | The Canadian News

One woman says a man tried to get her off the road after she took photos of shoppers without masks at a store in Winkler.

The altercation is one of two Winkler Police say officers have been called in to on the wearing of masks in the southern Manitoban community in recent weeks.

The woman told police that she was confronted by two men after she began taking photos of people without masks inside a store on August 30.

She says one of the men followed her out of the store and then tried to push her off the road with his vehicle, forcing her to lean on the shoulder as he drove away.

Police say they are continuing to investigate.

Officers were called into another altercation at a store on September 4.

Police say a man who was upset to see another man and his family enter the store without masks started insulting the man and pushed his shopping cart towards him.

Police say the unmasked man, who did not press charges, received a warning for not wearing a mask as required by current public health orders.

They say that the masked man, who apologized for his behavior, also received a warning.

After lifting a mask mandate earlier this summer, Manitoba health officials reinstated the order in late August, making masks mandatory in indoor public spaces, including schools.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Symptoms can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, much like a cold or the flu. Some people may develop a more serious illness. People most at risk for this are older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions, such as heart, lung, or kidney disease. If you have symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent hand washing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as long as possible and keeping a distance of two meters from other people if you go out. In situations where you cannot keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend wearing a non-medical mask or covering to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.

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