Alberta moves back to Step 1 COVID-19 restrictions

by Stephen Dafoe

Citing a rapid increase in Covid-19 variants, Premier Jason Kenney announced additional measures Tuesday. The province will move back to Step 1 effective midnight Tuesday, with indoor dining ceasing Friday at noon.

“In the race between the virus and the varients, the varients are winning,” Kenney said, noting cases rose from about 100 a day three weeks ago are now at 600 plus a day. “These variants are a real enemy. To be blunt, this wave is here.”

Starting Wednesday, one-on-one training is allowed on an appointment-only basis for fitness and dance.

Retail capacity is dropping from 25 per cent to 15 per cent of fire code capacity.

Libraries will once again be closed to patrons, although online and curb services are permitted.

Restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes can no longer offer sit-down service effective Friday at noon. Takeout is allowed, as are patio services with a restriction of six per table from the same household.

Churches will see no change. Maximum capacity is set at 15 per cent of fire code capacity.

Personal services, including salons, will remain open on an appointment-only basis.

Locally, Morinville had no new cases, no more recoveries, for a total of 14 active cases. Sturgeon County had two new cases, three more recoveries, for a total of 39 active cases.

For complete details on provincial numbers, including total active cases, recoveries, lab testing data and comorbidities, visit https://www.alberta.ca/stats/covid-19-alberta-statistics.htm

Step 1 restrictions

The following mandatory public health measures come into effect at 11:59 p.m. on April 6:

Retail

  • Retail services must reduce customer capacity to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy, with a minimum of five customers permitted.
    • Curbside pickup, delivery and online services are encouraged.
  • Shopping malls will be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy.

Indoor fitness

  • Only one-on-one training with an individual or household is permitted for indoor fitness activities (e.g., fitness in dance studios, training figure skating on ice, one-on-one lessons).
  • No drop-in activities or unsupervised individual fitness.
  • Group fitness, high or low intensity, is not allowed.
  • Outdoor physical activity is allowed with up to 10 people, provided physical distancing is maintained between households.

Adult performance activities

  • Adult performance activities are not permitted. Performance activities include dancing, singing, acting, playing a musical instrument and any rehearsal or theatrical performances.

The following mandatory public health measures come into effect at noon on Friday, April 9:

Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafés

  • Indoor in-person service is no longer permitted
    • Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery services are permitted.
    • Outdoor patio dining is also allowed. Tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
    • Household members only, or two close contacts of someone who lives alone.
    • Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party.

The following mandatory public health measures remain in effect unchanged:

Places of worship

  • All places of worship will continue to be limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance.
    • Virtual or online services are strongly encouraged.
    • Drive-in services where individuals do not leave their vehicles and adhere to guidance will be permissible and are not subject to capacity restrictions.

Social gatherings

  • Indoor social gatherings continue to be prohibited.
  • Outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 participants, provided physical distancing and other measures continue to be followed.

Personal and wellness services

  • Personal and wellness services can be open for appointment only. This includes hair salons, nail salons, massage, tattoos and piercing.
  • Health services, including physiotherapy or acupuncture, social or protective services, shelters for vulnerable persons, emergency services, child care, and not-for-profit community kitchens or charitable kitchens can remain open for in-person attendance.

Indoor and outdoor children’s sport and performance

  • K-12 schools and post-secondary children’s sport and performance activities, such as physical education classes, can now use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.
  • Lessons, practices and conditioning activities, but not games, may occur for indoor team-based minor sports/activities and school athletics.
    • All participants must be 18 years old or younger, excluding coaches or trainers.
    • Maximum of 10 individuals, including all coaches, trainers and participants.
    • Participants must stay physically distanced from each other at all times.

Full current restrictions can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

 

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