A special Cabinet meeting held on December 30 has approved several changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations. There will no longer be a midnight curfew restriction on New Year’s Day, restrictions on booze sales was dropped and indoor gatherings were bumped to a maximum of 1 000 people, depending on the size of the venue.
Here are four things you can now do:
You can buy a drink from an alcohol establishment beyond 11pm
The previous regulations stated that licensed establishments had to shut their doors by 11pm to accommodate transport arrangements for staff. But the amended rules state that you can legally buy a drink after midnight from a licensed establishment.
You can gather indoors with up to 1000 people (if the venue is big enough)
Gatherings are restricted to no more than 1 000 people indoors and no more than 2 000 people outdoors. Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used. All other restrictions remain in place.
You can be on the beach at midnight (but can’t drink)
As it stood before, beaches, public parks and casinos had a closing time set an hour before curfew, but with the approval of several changes to the restrictions, you can use any beach as per normal but it remains illegal to drink in any public place that is not licensed to sell alcohol.
You can have a midnight service at church
The curfew has also been dropped for for gyms, theatres and churches which means that faith-based gatherings can take place at any time of the day or night. The only closing-time rules that still apply are those enforced by City by-laws, liquor licences or other restrictions.
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