Canadians to gather for Easter, Passover. How safe is it amid 6th COVID-19 wave?

Despite little COVID-19 restrictions, some religious leaders say there will still be safety precautions for gatherings amid Canada's sixth wave.

There are few COVID-19 public health measures in place across Canada for this weekend’s Easter and Passover celebrations for the first time since the spring of 2020.

But some religious leaders say there will still be safety precautions for gatherings as much of the country appears to be in a sixth wave of the pandemic.

Passover starts Friday and runs until April 23. Easter is this Sunday.

In Ottawa, the Kehillat Beth Israel Congregation is planning to hold a community seder, a Jewish meal to start Passover.

“People will still be asked to be masked when they are not eating. There will be some distancing and cohorting in the seating,” said Rabbi Eytan Kenter. “It’s still not exactly like the before times.

“We are excited to be able to offer something that is meaningfully resembling the traditions we remember.”

Catholic churches in Edmonton are planning in-person masses for Easter but are trying to keep those who gather safe.

“We’ve asked our parishes to work with many of their different committees – their parish councils, their liturgy committees – in planning … over the next number of days, first of all, just for the safety of parishioners,” Rev. Paul Kavanagh, the vicar for priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, said Wednesday.