Restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms are being forced to stop in-person service.
Premier Jason Kenney announced new mandatory restrictions on Tuesday to help stop the surge of COVID-19 cases across Alberta.
Along with indoor, outdoor social gatherings are now prohibited.
People are limited to gathering with people in the same household, while those who live alone can meet with two individuals at their own residence. The two individuals must remain the same.
The GoA is also introducing its own mask measure, following in the footsteps of multiple communities including the RMWB, making it a requirement to wear a mask in indoor public spaces. The only exemptions are for farmers and those living in rental homes.
They’re also making it mandatory for people to work at home if possible.
Retail stores, which includes grocery stores and malls, are allowed to stay open, however, they must cap their occupancy at 15 per cent. This is also the case for places of worship.
Doctor and dental offices, childcare centres, and other essential services will also be allowed to remain open.
The gathering ban and mask mandate are taking effect immediately, while the other measures will go into effect at midnight on Sunday.
They’re expected to remain in place for at least four weeks.
Those caught not following these measures can be fined.
Daily COVID-19 Update
Fort McMurray’s active total of COVID-19 is decreasing for a second straight day.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced on Tuesday 1,727 across the province.
This raises the provincial total to 72,028 with 20,388 currently active.
There are also 654 Albertans in the hospital for the virus, 112 of which are in ICUs. According to the province, the number of Albertans needing to be treated at the hospital has increased by 371 per cent from the start of November, while ICU visits are up 300 per cent.
Locally, Fort McMurray added 20 new cases and 23 additional recoveries which lowers the active total to 222.
The rural areas saw one new case and one recovery which keeps the total of active cases at eight.
In total, 785 individuals across the RMWB – 682 in Fort McMurray and 103 in the rural areas – have recovered.
They are among the 51,000 who’ve recovered across the province. This represents over 70 per cent of reported cases.
There were also nine new deaths from COVID-19 in Alberta over the past day – raising the total to 640.
To date, two individuals in Fort McMurray have died as a result of the virus.