The chief public health officer has extended the current gathering restrictions to Jan 30.
In a news release, public said the order extension is “to allow more time for COVID-19 cases in the NWT to decrease.”
Dr. Kami Kandola is the chief public health officer.
She said she expects the peak of the current Omicron wave to come in the next week.
Overall COVID numbers have started to decrease in the past few days.
The restrictions limit indoor gatherings to 10 people with a limit of five from outside the household.
Restaurants and bars have a limit of six people per table and no mingling between tables.
Other activities that are considered high risk are also prohibited, including:
- Dancing
- Singing
- Playing of wind and brass instruments
- Traditional hand games
- Contact sports
- High intensity fitness classes (gyms can remain open)
- Winter sports (ie: curling, hockey, figure and speed skating and broomball)
- Swimming
Public health is also reporting community transmission in Inuvik and Fort Smith.
The agency is recommending against non-essential travel to those communities and employers keep employees working from home.
It also said schools in those communities should be doing remote learning.
However, schools in Aklavik, Behchokǫ̀, Délı̨nę, Fort Providence, Hay River, Whatì, Ndilǫ, Dettah and Yellowknife can go back to in-person learning starting next week.
