Most people will get COVID-19. That’s one of the messages the province’s Chief Medical Officer is putting out as the province moves to Alert Level 4.
Under Alert Level 4, households can interact with ten consistent contacts from outside the household. Informal gatherings are limited to only those ten.
Funerals, burials, weddings, religious and cultural gatherings are limited to no more than 50 people or 25 percent capacity, with physical distancing being maintained between households. Public visitation are permitted with one bubble visiting at a time and wakes are prohibited.
Gyms, fitness facilities, yoga and dance studios and arenas are permitted to open with a maximum of 50 people or 25 percent of capacity per room or ice surface. Group and team sports, arts and recreation activities are not permitted.
Retail stores including malls can open at reduced capacity, and restaurants can open at 50 percent capacity as long as physical distancing can be maintained.
⚠ Newfoundland and Labrador is now at Alert Level 4.
For more information on restrictions under Alert Level 4, visit: https://t.co/vjooqPKr6L pic.twitter.com/OFWSxLMJ6Z
— Government of NL (@GovNL) January 4, 2022
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says Public Health has become overwhelmed with case investigations.
She says for the last two years the province has fought the virus in containment mode, but that is no longer possible, so the objective now is to slow the spread.
Fitzgerald says the reality of the virus is that it is so infectious most people will get it at some point, however, the healthcare system cannot handle everyone getting it at the same time, leading to the move to Alert Level 4 for two weeks. The move will be reassessed on January 17.
