Some plan safe gatherings for Easter, Passover despite few COVID-19 restrictions

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.

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.