Alberta Just Declared A State Of Public Health Emergency & Banned All Indoor Gatherings
The moment we've all been waiting for. On Tuesday, November 24, a set of new Alberta COVID-19 restrictions were announced to the public.
During the public address, premier Jason Kenney announced what he called "bold and targeted new measures" to combat the spread of COVID-19. He officially declared a state of public health emergency and added restrictions on gatherings, among other things.
He said the new restrictions will be in place for three weeks and will be re-evaluated in mid-December.
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No indoor social gatherings will be permitted, period.
Jason Kenney
He said these mandates are provincewide and will be enforced by law. They are effective immediately.
"Those who break these rules will be subject to fines," said the politician.
In addition, funeral and wedding ceremonies can only have 10 people and receptions are no longer allowed.
There will also be new restrictions on faith and worship gatherings, limiting them to one-third of the fire code allowance in a space.
Kenney went on to call for the closure of banquet halls, conference centres, and concert venues.
He said retail can remain open but with only 25% of occupancy limits. As for bars and restaurants, in-person dining will still be allowed as long as it's up to protocol and with your immediate household members only.
Finally, he said places like hair salons and personal wellness services will be limited to reservation-only.
Jason Kenney then urged anyone who can work from home to do so right away, he said that government employees will be working from home as much as possible.
As for schools, all students from grade 7-12 will be ending in-person schooling for the rest of 2020. They won't resume in-person schooling until January 11.
The new enhanced measures are enforceable by law and Kenney wanted to make it clear that this is not a lockdown.