COVID restrictions eased

The provincial government has announced their open for summer plan that documents the various stages of easing COVID-19 restrictions. In summary, here are the key highlights and relevant updates for places of worship:

Beginning Friday, May 28, 2021

• The capacity limit for worship services goes back to the 15% of the fire code occupancy.
• There will be no change on funerals, weddings, and baptisms.
• Masks remain mandatory.

Beginning Tuesday, June 1, 2021

• Wedding ceremonies may have up to 10 people, including the officiant, bride/groom, witnesses and any photographers/videographers. Receptions remain prohibited. NOTE: The government has now included photographers and videographers to the 10 people allowed. The Archdiocese does not consider the soloist and the instrumentalist included in the 10 people allowed.
• Funerals: Funeral ceremonies may have up to 20 people, not including facility staff, funeral clergy or organizers not considered guests. Receptions remain prohibited.
• Baptisms: The Archdiocese continues to limit the attendees to 10 people for Baptisms.
• House Blessings: We continue to recommend that house blessings (inside gatherings) happen only after stage 2 begins.

Further Background information about the reopening plans:

Below is the summary of the announcement by Premier Jason Kenney. Please note the highlighted bullets that relate to some of the rites/Sacraments.

Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan includes three stages based on vaccination thresholds and hospitalizations:

• Stage 1: Two weeks after 50% of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine and COVID-19 hospitalizations are below 800 and declining.
• Stage 2: Two weeks after 60% of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine and COVID-19 hospitalizations are below 500 and declining.
• Stage 3: Two weeks after 70% of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Since Alberta reached the 50 per cent threshold for one-dose vaccination on May 18, and with hospitalizations well below 800, Alberta will enter Stage 1 on June 1.

Based on the current pace of vaccinations, Alberta is projected to enter Stage 2 in mid-June and Stage 3 in late June or early July. These are estimates only and rely on all Albertans continuing to drive down our hospitalizations while increasing vaccination numbers.

STAGE 1

Starting Friday, May 28:

• The capacity limit for worship services increases to 15 percent of fire code occupancy.

Starting June 1:

• Wedding ceremonies may have up to 10 people, including the officiant, bride/groom, witnesses and any photographers/videographers.
  – Receptions remain prohibited.
• Funeral ceremonies may have up to 20 people, not including facility staff, funeral clergy or organizers not considered guests.
  – Receptions remain prohibited.
• Outdoor social gatherings, with distancing, increase to up to 10 people.
  – Indoor social gatherings are still not permitted.
• Outdoor physical, performance and recreational activities are permitted with up to 10 distanced people, for all ages.
• Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect.

STAGE 2

• Wedding ceremonies may occur with up to 20 attendees. Receptions are permitted outdoors only.
• Funeral ceremonies remain unchanged with up to 20 people permitted, not including facility staff, funeral clergy or organizers not considered guests. Receptions are permitted outdoors only.
• Indoor settings may open with up to one-third of fire code occupancy, including indoor recreation centres. This includes arenas, cinemas, theatres, museums, art galleries and libraries.
• Outdoor social gatherings increase to 20 people, with distancing.
• Indoor and outdoor youth and adult sports resume with no restrictions. Youth activities, such as day camps and play centres, may resume, with restrictions.
• Post-secondary institutions can resume in-person learning.
• The work-from-home order is lifted but still recommended.
• Outdoor fixed seating facilities (e.g., grandstands) can open with one-third seated capacity.
• Public outdoor gatherings increase to 150 people (e.g. concerts/festivals), with restrictions.
• Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect.

STAGE 3

• All restrictions are lifted, including the ban on indoor social gatherings.
• Isolation requirements for confirmed cases of COVID-19 and some protective measures in continuing care settings remain.

Additional details on all restrictions and measures in place will be released prior to each step. Albertans can track the province’s immunization progress on alberta.ca.

Provincial COVID-19 transmission will continue to be monitored throughout the reopening. If required, a reopening step may be paused to respond to COVID-19 transmission trends at regional or provincial levels.

Sustained reopening will depend on Albertans getting fully vaccinated with two doses during the summer months to prevent future spread of COVID-19.

SOURCE: alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=78245A07B1BCA-D29D-4853-55C609A2834F05E3