Safer Social Interactions

Social interactions are important for our well-being. Learn how you can practice COVID-19 prevention while meeting others.

Last updated: September 3, 2021

We are in Step 3 of the provincial Restart Plan. Indoor and outdoor gatherings can return to usual. When deciding whether to attend an in-person gathering, consider risk factors for yourself and the people you are spending time with.

Note: Additional COVID-19 restrictions are in place for certain regions. Learn about the restrictions .

COVID-19 Precautions

Vaccination

Get immunized against COVID-19 by getting two doses of the vaccine. Vaccines are the most effective way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. It takes seven days after the second dose to be fully immunized.

Beginning September 13, you will be required to show proof of vaccination to access some events, services and businesses to help protect yourself and other people from COVID-19.

Learn more about proof of vaccination.

Stay home when sick

If you feel sick, stay home and get tested.

If any member of your household or social group is sick, or thinks they might be sick, even if they are vaccinated, they should not be spending time in person with others. People who have symptoms should refer to the COVID-19 testing information to determine if testing is appropriate and follow self-isolation guidelines.

Clean your hands and practice good respiratory etiquette

Bring hand sanitizer with you when you go out and clean your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Wash your hands before you leave your home and as soon as you return.

Masks

Wearing a mask is required in all indoor public spaces for people age 12 and up (born in 2009 or earlier).

Read about the PHO order on masks in public indoor settings.

Follow any additional measures that may have been put in place by local public health or in your health region.

Keep a record

Keep a record of the people you spend time with in the event someone does get COVID-19. Doing this will help with contact tracing.

When to take extra precautions

If you are not vaccinated or if you are spending time with people who are not vaccinated.
If you are or if you live with someone who has a higher chance of developing severe illness or complications from COVID-19.

You can take steps to make getting together safer such as visiting outdoors or in smaller groups, keeping a distance from people you don’t live with and wearing masks. If you are gathering indoors, keep windows and doors open to let fresh air in.

Getting together with others

Be patient – you might have to wait longer than usual such as for bathrooms, shops or restaurants, or for your children to use playground equipment.

Restaurants

You can dine-in with your friends and family as usual. Learn more about the province-wide restrictions for restaurants, pubs and bars.

To make eating in restaurants safer

Pick a restaurant that has lots of space between tables.
Wash your hands when you get to the restaurant, and before you leave (or use hand sanitizer if hand washing is not possible).
Opt for takeout and eat outside or at home.

Sports

All outdoor and indoor sports for all ages including local team games and practices can resume.‎

Spectators

Organized outdoor events including sports events can have 5,000 spectators or up to 50% of total capacity, whichever is greater.
Organized indoor events including sports events can have 50 spectators or up to 50% of total capacity, whichever is greater.

Learn more on province-wide restrictions page.

Shopping and paying

Money carries lots of germs because so many people touch it. Although there are no documented cases or clusters related to COVID-19 transmission by cash and coin payment, you should clean your hands often if you deal with money.

Here are some easy ways to increase the safety of paying for items when you’re shopping:

Try to use touch-free payment methods when possible such as debit cards, credit cards, or mobile phones.

Gyms and fitness

Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and many people during this time are opting to exercise outdoors rather than go to their local gym or fitness facility. Exercising outdoors, spread out from other people, is the safest option. If you choose to go to the gym there are a few things to remember.

All indoor fitness activities are now allowed.

Learn more about province-wide restrictions on group exercise and gyms and recreation facilities.

When you pack a bag to go to the gym, make sure to bring items that you might normally use communally.

A full water bottle
Hand sanitizer to ensure you have a way to clean your hands between the use of different pieces of equipment (if hand washing is not possible).
Personal items for use in the change rooms (such as hairdryers, deodorant, soaps, etc.).
Your own towel.
If you use the equipment during your workout, bring your own if possible (such as helmets, racquets, goggles, yoga mats, gloves, weight belts, ankle guards, etc.)

When at the gym, don’t share water bottles or other drinks, choose exercises that keep you in the same spot and at least 2 metres away from others, and clean or disinfect equipment after use – wait for equipment surfaces to air dry naturally before using.

Clean your hands before and after a workout and use hand sanitizer when transitioning between pieces of equipment.

Clean or sanitize your hands before you touch your face, eyes, mouth or nose.