Quebec Is Cancelling Expanded Holiday Gatherings & Limiting Capacity To 10 In Homes

Premier François Legault announced a list of new Quebec health rules in light of a skyrocketing number of new cases. Among the new rules is a cancellation of the province's earlier expansion of private gathering capacity for the holiday season.

While earlier in December Legault announced that Quebecers would be able to host parties with as many as 20 fully-vaccinated people as of December 23, he said Thursday that capacity would remain at 10 people.

The premier still called on Quebecers to exercise caution.

"Even at 10 people, you have to be very careful and do only what is necessary," he said.

Legault explained that the goal in the coming weeks is to reduce contacts in the province by as much as 50%.

The government is also reintroducing 50% capacity limits at stores, restaurants and bars and banning dancing, among other measures.

In addition, officials will begin requiring vaccine passports at places of worship.

These new measures will take effect Monday, December 20.

Quebec reported 2,736 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the most in a single day since early January 2021.

On Wednesday, Montreal officials called on the population to exercise extra care in their application of public health advice ahead of the expected continuing increase in case numbers.

"The current situation in Montreal is not really what we were planning or expecting two weeks before Christmas," Regional Public Health Director Dr. Mylène Drouin said.

"I think it commands us to be more agile and resilient facing the Omicron situation."