Saskatchewan announced tweaks to provincial COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday, allowing people to expand the number of friends and family they can bring into their home and allowing churches to offer in-person services.
Households in Saskatchewan can now form 10 person "bubbles" consisting of people from up to three consistent households, holding private gatherings or get-togethers among that group. That rule change went into effect March 9.
"You must be consistent in your household bubble: the bubble of ten is always the same individuals, from the same households. You may not join multiple bubbles," reads the provincial government's announcement.
The province also asks that factors that may put someone at risk of either contracting COVID-19 or people at risk of negative outcomes should be weighed by households before creating "bubbles". People over the age of 50 are also asked by provincial health authorities to consider keeping contacts to their households until they're able to receive a vaccine.
Starting March 19, worship services will also see a loosening of restrictions, with churches, mosques and other religious centres able to open up to either 30 per cent capacity or 150 attendees - whichever number is smaller. All attendees will need to stay two metres apart and wear masks, even during singing. Members of clergy or officiants are able to remove their mask, but must stay at least three metres away from everybody else. Worship centres also can't offer food or drink for attendees.
The restrictions being eased may be overruled by local or regional restrictions.
Other restrictions remaining in place include mandatory province-wide mask use in all indoor public places, suspensions of visits to long-term and personal care homes (unless the visit is deemed as being for compassionate reasons) and limiting outdoor gatherings to 10 people maximum.
