Social gatherings back on – only if you’re immunized

By Aaron Humes: No more ten-person weddings and funerals, or looking over your shoulder for police to spoil the party.

New COVID-19 regulations going into effect on Tuesday ensure that no person shall host or attend any event unless every person present, whether host, participant, or attendee, as the case may be, is immunized.

Those types of gatherings are church services, wedding ceremony or celebration, funeral service, wake and repast, sporting or other recreational event and social club event including a fraternal society, a civic association or organization or a private club; and social event including a concert, dance, banquet, ball or other reception; as well as other gatherings prescribed by notice of the Minister for Health and published in the Gazette.

Note as well that in the case of church services, weddings, funerals, social club events and so on, masks are required if the ceremony is held indoors or in a closed space, but not if outdoors. Social distancing remains required in both instances.

Sittings of the National Assembly are exempted for members and others involved in the function of any sitting (the Speaker, the Mace Bearer, the Clerk and so on) as long as more than 75 percent of the House or Senate is present.

Proof of immunization must be presented to enter or access any gathering covered in the sub-regulation above.

The Minister continues to hold the power to, in writing, exempt any person from the restriction of gatherings for a social purpose under regulation 6, if the Minister considers it necessary, and subject to such terms and conditions, or applicable only in specified circumstances or in relation to such activities as specified in the instrument granting the exemption. These exemptions shall without fail be published in the Gazette.

Contravention draws a fine of $5,000.

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