B.C.'s COVID-19 rules are changing again. Here's what churchgoers need to know.
An exemption in place worshippers in British Columbia was changed Tuesday as the province confirmed its first case of the concerning Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Previously, those attending church services and other religious gatherings were exempt from provincial mask mandates, though they were still encouraged to wear face coverings.
That announcement was made Nov. 1, with health officials saying at the time that places of worship are only considered indoor public spaces – for the purpose of the mandate – when they are used for secular purposes."
That is, until Tuesday, when the province's top doctor removed that exemption that allowed worshippers to bare their noses and mouths when attending faith services.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a weekly news conference that masks are required at these services going forward.
The amendment also applies to those in choirs. Masks can be taken off if eating or drinking during ceremonies, or if physical distancing measures are in place.
She did not say how long the mandate would apply to places of worship, though she announced the update was being put in place "as we enter the holiday and winter season."
Additionally, worship services must now be limited to 50 per cent of seated capacity, she said, unless every participant is vaccinated.
If everyone has had their COVID-19 vaccines, up to 100 per cent capacity is permitted.
"The province, as you know, has a vaccine card available for faith services to use that will allow flexibility for you and your congregation to work with congregants to provide proof of vaccination by other means," Henry said.
"And I know that many faith services have done this already."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.