By Troy Gillard

Easing restrictions

Alberta allowing small outdoor gatherings, personal service businesses to open Monday

Jan 14, 2021 | 4:51 PM

The Alberta government is easing restrictions on outdoor gatherings, personal and wellness services and funeral services put in place in December and aimed at limiting in-person interaction and minimize exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

As of Monday, Jan. 18, outdoor social gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said Thursday that other guidelines should still be followed, such as wearing masks, keeping at least two metres apart, and not using any indoor spaces.

“Indoor social gatherings, let me be clear, are still not allowed,” he said.

Personal and wellness services can also reopen as of Jan. 18, but by appointment only.

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“These services include things like hair salons, barbershops, aesthetics, manicure and pedicure businesses, reflexology, piercing and tattoo shops and other of our many different personal and wellness services businesses throughout the province,” said Shandro, adding that appointments should be limited to one-on-one services and businesses and clients are expected to keep following the public health guidelines.

The limit on attendance at funerals is being raised to 20 people. Funeral receptions are still prohibited.

Shandro said the decisions were made carefully and based on the expertise of the chief medical officer of health.

“We want to stop as a province going back and forth with tightening and then loosening the rules,” he said.

Recently discovered variants of the virus require a cautious approach, he said, because cases have escalated in other countries due to the variants.

The health minister also said that while they are looking at what restrictions can be eased everyone needs to stay within the rules, including mandatory masking in public indoor spaces and working from home where possible.

“Don’t bend the rules to fit you. They’re not designed to be flexible,” Shandro warned.

“As of right now we can’t say when measures will be eased next. But we are monitoring the situation closely and we are meeting regularly with Dr. Hinshaw.”