Newfoundland and Labrador is closing bars, cinemas, performance halls as the entire province is moving to Alert Level 3 in the COVID-19 Alert Level System, Premier Andrew Furey announced today.
The move to limit the spread of COVID-19 cases comes as the province reported 60 new cases of COVID-19. This is also the second-highest number of daily new cases.
The capacity of restaurants is reduced to 50 per cent with 2 meter distance between tables.
Household gatherings are limited to a maximum of 20 people (a steady 20).
The change is effective midnight today.
Restrictions Under Alert Level 3
- Gym and fitness facilities, including yoga studios, swimming pools, indoor tennis and squash facilities, dance studios, and arenas, may remain open provided that capacity is limited to no more than 100 people or 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity, whichever is less, per room or ice surface, and physical distancing between households can be maintained.
- Amateur sport and recreation activities are limited to team practice and training only. Competition and training with other teams, even within an association, are not permitted.
- Cinemas and performance spaces are closed.
- Businesses that hold a license under the Liquor Control Act whose primary purpose is the consumption of beer, wine, or spirits are closed.
- Restaurants may open for in-person dining at 50 per cent capacity where physical distancing of 2 metres can be maintained between patrons seated at adjacent tables. Buffets are prohibited.
- Bingo halls are closed.
- Retail stores, including those located in shopping malls, may remain open at reduced capacity provided physical distancing can be maintained.
- Wakes are prohibited. Limited visitation is permitted provided physical distancing can be maintained with individuals outside of the household.
- Funerals, burials, weddings, and religious and cultural ceremonies are limited to no more than 100 people or 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity, whichever is less, provided physical distancing may be maintained.
- For all other gatherings, individuals within the same household are limited to gatherings with the same 20 close and consistent contacts of the household.
- This limitation on informal gatherings does not apply to those who work or attend school outside of the home and custody and access orders and arrangements.
Visiting Newfoundland & Labrador
In addition to these rules, as previously announced all travellers coming to Newfoundland and Labrador, including Newfoundland and Labrador residents, are required to fill out a travel form.
All fully vaccinated travellers visiting the province will need to isolate for five days upon arrival, with the day of arrival in the province counting as ‘Day 0’. They will need to take a rapid test every day for five days. The travellers can leave isolation after five full days or 120 hours have passed since their arrival provided all tests are negative.
Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travellers are required to quarantine and test for COVID-19. They must isolate until they receive negative results from a PCR test taken on day 7 or later. If the traveller chooses not to have a test, they must self-isolate for 14 days.
Those who visited a post-secondary campus outside the province in the last 14 days and who are fully vaccinated must isolate and are also required to have an arrival PCR test. If both the PCR test and five rapid tests are negative, they can leave isolation after five full days have passed.
Children between ages five and 11 that are not fully vaccinated and are travelling with parents or guardians that are fully vaccinated, will also need to self-isolate for five days and complete five rapid tests. After five days, they will then follow modified self-isolation until 14 days have passed. It is not mandatory for children under five to have a test, as long as the parents or guardians take their rapid tests. They can leave full isolation with their parents and continue on modified self-isolation until 14 days have passed.