Alberta's new COVID-19 restrictions are now in place: What you need to know

Alberta’s new COVID-19 restrictions are now in place, impacting everything from restaurants and bars to NHL games in the province.

The restrictions were announced on Tuesday at a COVID-19 briefing with Premier Jason Kenney, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw, and Health Minister Jason Copping.

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These are the new measures in Alberta:

Venues with more than 1,000 attendees must reduce capacity by 50%
No food or drink at large audience venues or during intermissions
Masks must be worn at all times at the events mentioned above
Venues between 500 and 1,000 are capped at 500
Restaurants and bars are limited to 10 people per table, no mingling between tables
No interactive activities at restaurants, pubs and bars (dancing, darts and billiards)
No alcohol service past 11 pm, close at 12:30 am

For food businesses that do not implement the Restrictions Exemption Program, indoor dining is not permitted at all.

Outdoor dining only with a maximum of six people per table (one household or two close contacts for those living alone) will be permitted.

Albertans are asked to reduce their social contacts by 50% during the holiday season.

Restrictions continue for indoor and outdoor social gatherings, weddings, funerals, places of worship and businesses.

Masking remains mandatory in all indoor public spaces, including in facilities participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program.

In addition, the Alberta government said on Tuesday that it would directly purchase up to 10 million rapid tests for anticipated delivery in January, allowing Albertans to secure immediate supplies.

The province also announced anyone 18+ can get their third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, lowering the amount of time passed from their second dose from six months to five.

On Thursday, Alberta reported 1,625 new cases of COVID-19, including 506 cases of the Omicron variant. There are now 2,637 cases of Omicron in the province.