Here's what you need to know about COVID-19 gathering restrictions in Ottawa during the holiday season
Tis the season for holiday gatherings.
Social gatherings are currently allowed in Ottawa this holiday season, one year after Ontarians could only celebrate with members of their same household due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"I want to caution everyone to proceed with vigilance this holiday season," said medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches in a statement.
"Assess the risk of those with whom you are gathering. Consider everyone’s vaccination status. If you choose to attend a larger gathering with others, maintain a physical distance and wear a mask when this might be difficult."
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the social gathering rules and guidance from Ottawa Public Health for holiday events in Ottawa.
SOCIAL GATHERING LIMITS
Ottawa
As of Sunday, Dec. 19, indoor social gatherings at private residences are permitted up to 10 people
Outdoor social gatherings at private residences are permitted up to 25 people.
Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington
If you are travelling to Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington for the holidays, there are new limits on gatherings due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Indoor private gatherings are capped at 5 people.
Gatineau
If you have plans to attend Christmas and New Year's events in Gatineau, a maximum of 10 people are permitted to gather indoors.
The Quebec government also introduced new restrictions including closing bars, taverns, casinos, theatres, gyms and schools, and reducing capacity at restaurants.
INDOOR GATHERING TIPS
Ottawa Public Health issued the following tips to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 during indoor gatherings.
- If all guests are fully vaccinated, you may consider removing your mask if everyone is comfortable
- If you are gathering with people from multiple households who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, wear a mask and physically distance
- Wash your hands frequently
- Open windows, if possible
- If you start to feel symptoms of COVID-19, and are hosting a gathering, cancel or postpone to a later date or until you have tested negative and you have not had any symptoms of COVID-19 for at least 24 hours
- If one of your guests has symptoms during or after your gathering, have the guest safely leave your gathering
GATHERING AT A RESTAURANT, BUSINESS OR YOUR WORKPLACE
Eastern Ontario's medical officer of health says he's comfortable with people attending a holiday gathering at a restaurant or bar since everyone will be fully vaccinated.
"The passport allows you to do that. So yes, I am comfortable but you need to be comfortable yourself," said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis during an interview on Newstalk 580 CFRA.
"If you have underlying medical conditions or if you're in a category that perhaps the vaccine hasn't worked effectively, perhaps you should be not going there at this point. It’s a personal decision and also a decision that you have to make on behalf of your family members as well."
Ottawa Public Health says if you attend a festive event at a business or your workplace, you must:
- Follow the applicable provincial restrictions for that setting, such as rules for restaurants, bars or meeting and event spaces.
- Follow the advice and guidance outlined in the hosting social gatherings section above.
- Workplaces should choose venues with sufficient space for physical distancing.
Under Ontario's proof of vaccination system, you must show proof of full vaccination and ID to enter indoor areas of restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments.
OUTDOOR GATHERING TIPS
"Celebrating the holidays outdoors can be done safely and is likely safer than indoor activities," said Ottawa Public Health.
The health unit offers tips to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission during outdoor events.
- When gathering outdoors with a group of fully vaccinated individuals, no mask or physical distancing is necessary
- If you are gathering with people from multiple households who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, consider wearing a mask if physical distancing cannot be maintained
- Stay home if you are feeling ill, even with mild symptoms, or if you are in quarantine or self-isolating
- Avoid high-touch surfaces and wash your hands often
If you plan on attending an in-person outdoor organized public event, the health unit recommends:
- Avoid crowds as much as possible and maintain a physical distance of two metres from others who are not from your household
- If you are unable to maintain 2 metres of physical distance from another individual who is not part of your household then you must wear a mask
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.