Enhanced public health measures

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Nov. 24

• No indoor social gatherings are permitted in any setting (private homes, public spaces or workplaces)
  • Indoor close contacts must be limited to people in the same household
  • People who live alone can have up to the same 2 non-household contacts for the duration of the restriction
  • Work and mutual support group meetings are not social gatherings, but attendance should be limited and public health measures followed
  • This does not apply to service visits from caregivers, health or child care providers and co-parenting arrangements
• Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people and must not have an indoor component
  • Backyard gatherings that require movement in/out of homes are not permitted
  • Attendees should remain distanced at all times and follow public health measures
• Festivals and events are prohibited (indoors and outdoors)

Learn more about gatherings.

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Effective Nov. 24

• Maximum of 10 people for wedding ceremonies or funeral services
  • 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.

Mandatory restriction – Enhanced status (purple) areas – Effective Nov. 24

• For faith services, the maximum in-person attendance is 1/3 of the occupancy set under the Alberta Fire Code.
• Must hold services at their normal location, including rental spaces like a community hall.
• Physical distancing between households must be maintained.
• Mask use is mandatory.
• Online services are encouraged.
• In-person faith group meetings and other religious gatherings are not permitted in private homes while these measures are in effect.
• Faith leaders and others speaking in front of a congregation are permitted to remove their masks while speaking provided they maintain 2 metre distance from others while doing so. Once finished speaking, the speaker must put on their mask again.
• In-person faith group meetings conducted at a place of worship can continue but physical distancing and public health measures must be followed.
• 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.

Faith communities are often significant aspects of people’s lives, and include intimate and close contact between members. This measure will help limit exposure at these activities, reducing outbreaks and protecting vulnerable members who attend.

Mandatory restriction – Calgary and Edmonton areas – Effective Nov. 24

• Masks are mandatory in all indoor workplaces, except when working alone in an office or a safely distanced cubicle or an appropriate barrier is in place
  • This applies to all employees, visitors, delivery personnel and contractors
  • This includes all locations where employees are present and masks won’t pose a safety risk
  • This does not change current student mask requirements in schools

Working from home should be considered, where possible.

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

• This includes 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.

Performance activities include dancing, singing, theatre and playing wind instruments. Current restrictions for these activities in enhanced (purple) areas are as follows.

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

• Rehearsals, practices, and performances involving two or more are not permitted.
• Individual practice is permitted indoors

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.

Facilities (concert halls, auditoriums, community halls)

• Venues where these activities occur will be closed to the public minimally from Nov. 27 to Dec. 15.
• Professionals may access for work purposes, such as practicing and rehearsals. Exemptions for practicing and rehearsing in groups may be considered for professional performance organizations. More details on the exemption process will be shared soon.

Lessons

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

Performances

• In-person performances for audiences are not permitted. Virtual and drive-in performances are allowed.

Group physical activities include team sports, fitness classes and training sessions.

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 permitted.

Outdoor group physical activity is limited to 10 people or fewer.

Exemption process for professional sports organizations

• Exemptions to the restrictions on group physical activities may be considered for outfits and organizations that can demonstrate adherence to the guidance for professional sporting events (PDF, 405 KB). Criteria includes:
  • Enforcing a mandatory 14-day “quarantine-in” procedure before any practice or play occurs and using a bubble model for the duration of the event.
  • Access to dedicated facilities and transportation that are not open to the general public.
  • Conducting daily health checks on all members of the team, and private testing team members upon entry into the bubble and every five days throughout events.
  • Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment plan and implementing risk mitigation and controls before play begins.
  • To request an exemption, send your completed implementation plan to [email protected].