COVID 19 Update – Dec 8, 2020

Dec 8, 2020 | News

Due to Alberta’s high case numbers, aggressive action is required now to protect our health system from being overwhelmed.

The current situation is critical. These mandatory restrictions apply provincewide and will be in place at least until January 12, 2021.

Health officials are monitoring the situation and will adjust measures if required.

Gathering restrictions

Alberta declared a State of Public Health Emergency to protect the health care system from COVID-19. Social gatherings are the top source of transmission.

Effective Dec. 8, all indoor and outdoor social gatherings have been prohibited. This will be enforced with $1,000 fines.

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 8

All indoor and outdoor social gatherings – public and private – are prohibited

  • Close contacts are limited to household members only
  • People who live alone can have up to 2 close contacts:
    • must be the same two contacts throughout the duration of the restriction
    • if the close contacts do not live alone, visits cannot be held at their home
    • single parents who only live with their children are permitted to have up to 2 close contacts

This does not apply to:

  • co-parenting arrangements
  • service visits from caregivers, health or childcare providers
  • home maintenance and repairs
  • mutual support group meetings

 

Non-essential travel

  • All out-of-town travel is discouraged at this time.

Returning home

  • If the individual belongs to the household (e.g., a such as a child returning home from post-secondary), then they would be permitted to return to the home.
  • If you do not have a household in Alberta, you must not stay in other people’s homes while these restrictions are in place.

Visitors

  • Out-of-town visitors cannot stay in other people’s homes while these restrictions are in place, regardless of where they are coming from.

While we appreciate this may affect your travel plans as you may wish to visit or stay with family, the increase in COVID cases is being taken very seriously and these enhanced public health measures are required to stop the spread of COVID-19.

WEDDINGS & FUNERALS – No change – Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Nov. 24

  • Maximum of 10 people for wedding ceremonies or funeral services and must be held in a public place
    • This includes the officiant, bride/groom and witnesses
    • This does not include staff or organizers who are not considered an invited guest
    • This applies to any facility, including places of worship and funeral homes.
    • This includes services held indoors or outdoors, seated or non-seated.
  • Receptions are not permitted

This measure will help limit exposure, reduce outbreaks and protect vulnerable attendees.

PLACES OF WORSHIP – Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

Faith services are limited to 15% of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance:

  • Services must be held at their normal location
  • Physical distancing between households must be maintained
  • Mask use is mandatory

Alternatively:

  • Virtual or online services are recommended
  • Drive-in services where people do not leave their vehicles and adhere to guidance are allowed

Additional safety measures:

  • In-person faith group meetings and other religious gatherings are:
    • not permitted in private homes while these measures are in effect
    • permitted when conducted at a place of worship as long as physical distancing and public health measures are followed
  • Faith leaders and other speakers can remove their masks while speaking if there is a distance of 2 metres. The mask must be put on again once finished speaking.
  • Group performance activities, such as choir singing and playing music, are permitted if they are normal worship practices and not for the purpose of entertainment. Performers must wear masks at all times.

Workplace and learning centres

  • Effective Dec. 8, masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces and workplaces.
  • Effective Dec. 13, working from home is mandatory when physical presence is not required.
  • Current restrictions on child care and K-12 learning remain in effect.

MANDATORY MASK REQUIREMENT – Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 8

Masks are mandatory in all:

  • indoor public places
  • places of worship
  • indoor workplaces and facilities outside the home, except:
    • when working alone in an office or a safely distanced cubicle or a barrier is in place
    • rental accommodations used soley for the purposes of a private residence
    • farm operations (exempt)

This workplace requirement:

  • applies to all employees, customers, visitors, delivery personnel and contractors
  • includes any location where employees are present in-person
  • includes all workplace locations where masks won’t pose a safety risk
  • does not change current student mask requirements in schools

WORKING FROM HOME – Mandatory – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

Working from home is mandatory unless the employer requires a physical presence for operational effectiveness.

K-12 SCHOOLS – No change  – Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Starting Nov. 30

Grades 7-12 students

  • Move to at-home learning Nov. 30 to Jan. 8, except during winter break*
  • Resume in-person classes Jan. 11
  • Diploma exams are optional for rest of the school year. Students and families can choose to write an exam or receive an exemption for the January, April, June and August 2021 exams.

Grades K-6 students, including Early Childhood Services

  • Continue in-person learning until their scheduled winter break (generally Dec. 18*)
  • Move to at-home learning after the winter break until Jan. 8
  • Resume in-person classes Jan. 11

*Schools have different winter break schedules, check with your school for details.

Exemption is available for students with disabilities or in outreach programs, learn more at K-12 learning during COVID-19.

CHILD CARE – No change to current measures

Licensed daycare, out-of-school and preschool program can continue operating as long as providers follow all public health orders and guidance for child care programs.

Business and service restrictions

Effective Dec. 13, some businesses will be required to close, reduce capacity or limit their in-person access.

All previous restrictions from Nov. 27 remain in effect until new restrictions come into effect on Dec. 13.

RETAIL – Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

Retail services must reduce customer capacity to 15% of fire code occupancy or a minimum of 5 customers:

  • Curbside pick up, delivery and online services are encouraged
  • Shop alone if possible or only with the people you live with
  • Shopping mall:
    • capacity limits of 15% include common areas and individual stores
    • food courts open for grab and go only

Retail services include:

  • Retail businesses operating within a shopping centre or mall
  • Shopping centres and malls
  • Pet supply stores
  • Grocery stores
  • Pharmacies
  • Clothing stores
  • Computer and technology stores
  • Hardware
  • Automotive
  • Sporting goods
  • Liquor and cannabis
  • Gift shops
  • Markets

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

  • All restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes are closed to in-person service.
  • Take out, curbside pickup and delivery services are allowed.

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

All entertainment businesses and entities must close, including:

  • Casinos, bingo halls, gaming centres
  • Racing centres, horse tracks, raceways
  • Bowling alleys, pool halls
  • Legions and private clubs (nightclubs must remain closed)
  • Art galleries, libraries and museums
  • Science and interpretive centres
  • Amusement and water parks
  • Children’s play centres and indoor playgrounds
  • Theatres, auditoria and concert halls
  • Banquet halls, conference centres and trade shows

All indoor recreation facilities must close, including:

  • Gyms and studios
  • Fitness and recreation centres
  • Spas, pools, indoor rinks and arenas
  • Day and overnight camps
  • Community halls and centres

Outdoor recreation is permitted, but facilities with indoor spaces except for washrooms will be closed.

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

All personal and wellness services must close.

Personal services include:

  • esthetics, manicure, pedicure, body waxing, make-up
  • body, nose and ear piercing, and tattoos
  • artificial tanning and spray tanning
  • facial, eyebrow and eyelash treatments
  • cosmetic skin and body treatments
  • laser hair and tattoo removal
  • hairstyling and barbering

Wellness services include:

  • massage therapy
  • floatation tanks
  • reflexology
  • colonic irrigation

Mandatory – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

Regulated health services can remain open by appointment only as long as public health orders and sector guidance is followed. Appointments should be limited to one-on-one services.

  • physicians, dentists
  • physical therapists
  • optometrists
  • hearing aid practitioners
  • acupuncturists
  • naturopaths

Professional services can remain open by appointment only:

  • lawyers
  • mediators
  • accountants
  • photographers

Social services can remain open for in-person services including:

  • social, protective or emergency services
  • shelters for vulnerable persons
  • not-for-profit community kitchens, religious kitchens and soup kitchens

Home-based businesses should follow the restrictions for the type of service they provide.

Mandatory – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13

Hotels, motels, hunting and fishing lodges may remain open but must follow restrictions:

  • No spa, pool or gym access
  • No in-person dining (room service only)

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13 (Nov. 27 restrictions remain in effect until Dec. 13)

Performance activities include dancing, singing, theatre and playing wind instruments.

Outdoor settings

  • Rehearsals and practices are permitted up to a maximum of 10 participants. Physical distancing and other relevant guidelines must be followed.
  • Performances with audiences are not permitted.

Indoor settings

  • No group performances in indoor settings are permitted.
  • Rehearsals, practices and lessons involving 2 or more are not permitted.

Lessons

  • 1-to-1 in-person lessons are permitted.
  • Virtual lessons are strongly encouraged where possible.

School settings

  • Phys Ed., band and drama classes are permitted to continue
  • Assemblies, performances, concerts, and inter-school games, activities and competitions are not permitted.

Places of worship

  • Indoor group performance activities conducted in a place of worship, such as choir singing and playing music, are permitted provided these are normal activities conducted as part of worship practices and not for the purpose of entertainment.

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Dec. 13 (Nov. 27 restrictions remain in effect until Dec. 13)

Group physical activities, including team sports, fitness classes and training sessions, are prohibited or restricted across Alberta.

  • Outdoor group physical activity, including team sports, must be limited to 10 people or fewer.
    • members of different households must maintain 2 metre distancing at all times
  • Indoor group physical activities are prohibited unless
    • the group only involves members of the same household.
    • the activity involves students at a school or post-secondary institution as part of an education program
    • the activity involves students at a post-secondary institution
  • One-to-one indoor training, such as training with a fitness trainer or coach, is not permitted.

 

https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx