New public health restrictions in Alberta announced earlier this week to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant took effect Friday.
Venues that seat more than 1,000 people will be limited to half capacity, a restriction that includes Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames hockey games and the upcoming World Junior Hockey championships in Edmonton and Red Deer.
Venues that seat between 500 and 1,000 can have no more than 500 people.
There is mandatory masking at these events and no food or drink can be consumed in the seats.
Pubs and restaurants that have signed on to the province’s form of vaccine passport must limit guests to 10 people per table and not allow interactive social activities such as billiards, darts or dancing.
Drink service must be cut off at 11 p.m. and venues close 90 minutes after that.
Rules have been loosened for private events in homes, allowing up to 10 people from multiple households, vaccinated or unvaccinated.
Children don’t count against the 10-person limit.
The province has also expanded its booster vaccine program to slow the spread, with anyone 18 and over able to get the third shot as long as the second shot was administered at least five months earlier.