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.
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
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 participating in the Border Testing Pilot Program, all program directives must be followed before rejoining the household.
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.
Faith services are limited to 15% of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance:
Services must be held at their normal location, including rental spaces like a community hall
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.
all indoor and outdoor social gatherings have been prohibited. This will be enforced with $1,000 fines.
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.
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.
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.
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
Wellness services include:
colonic irrigation
floatation tanks
massage
reflexology
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.
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.
Financial support
Canada’s COVID-19 economic response plan
Financial support programs are available to help people, families and businesses facing hardship as a result of COVID-19.
Albertans have a responsibility to slow the virus's spread and make
sure the health system can continue supporting patients with COVID-19,
influenza and many other needs.
There is a time lag between when people get infected and when new
cases are identified. This means the cases we see today were infected up
to 2 weeks ago.
We must work together to protect each other. The greater the community spread, the more likely it will infect our loved ones most at-risk of severe outcomes, including death.
What else you should do
Albertans must continue following existing public health measures to keep everyone safe:
Stay 2 metres apart when you can, wear a mask when you can't
Practice good hygiene: wash your hands often and cover coughs and sneezes
