The Saskatchewan government says they will be further limiting private home gathering numbers as COVID-19 numbers grow in the province.
Starting at 12:01 November 6th, gatherings in private homes will be limited to ten, down from fifteen. These numbers apply to any gathering in a private home or outbuilding, which include, but are not limited to, weddings, funerals or religious gatherings. The ten-person limit does not apply, however, to households with more than 10 family members living in the same residence.
The move comes as the Saskatchewan Health Authority has seen “transmission trends in rural and smaller centres linked primarily to private gatherings, while transmission in the urban areas includes both private gatherings and exposures in public spaces.”
If someone is going to have larger gathering than ten within the rules set out by the SHA, the province says it must be held in a public gathering place such a restaurant or banquet hall, and follow guidelines set in those spaces. People can find these guidelines via the Saskatchewan re-opening plan.
The province has also announced mandatory masking at all indoor public spaces for three communities: Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert. This order will in place for the next 28 days. In all other communities, it’s strongly recommended that people wear a non-medical mask anywhere outside the home as an additional measure to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
As of November 3rd, there are 842 COVID-19 cases considered active across Saskatchewan, 60 of which are in the Northwest zone housing Lloydminster, The Battlefords and other surrounding towns.