Alberta Just Announced Strict New COVID-19 Restrictions That Will Stretch Past New Year's
On Tuesday, December 8, Premier Jason Kenney provided an Alberta COVID-19 update in which he announced the implementation of enhanced health measures across the province.
The measures include banning all outdoor and indoor gatherings, closing all gyms and casinos, and prohibiting dine-in services at bars and restaurants.
On top of that, masks will be mandatory across the province and there will be new work-from-home measures.
“All Alberta employees must work from home unless an employer requires a physical presence for operational effectiveness,” said Kenney.
He added that this mask measure is not an advisory — it is a legal mandate.
According to Kenney, all of these new measures will be in place for at least four weeks.
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We must act to protect lives and we must act to protect our hospitals and those who depend on them.
Jason Kenney
While the gathering and mask rules will take effect immediately, the closures and work-from-home rules won't be imposed until Sunday, December 13 at midnight.
Albertans will only be allowed to see the people they live with. If you live alone, you can select two people to see and no one outside of that.
As for retail, capacity will be reduced to 15%. The same goes for places of worship. Funerals and weddings will be limited to a maximum of 10 people.
Everything from recreation and fitness centers to museums and libraries will be ordered to close and restaurants will revert back to take-out, curbside pickup, and delivery like they did in the spring.
Hotels and outdoor recreation can remain open as long as they follow specific restrictions. Recreation facilities with indoor space will close, apart from washrooms.