The government of Quebec sent an emergency alert to all citizens Dec. 16 to warn residents that holiday gatherings are prohibited.

The alert was broadcast via radio, television, and to every cell phone in Quebec.

It read: "Public health emergency in effect. All public and private gatherings remain prohibited in red zones and participants are subject to fines without notice. Police presence has been increased."

“I asked our police forces to give tickets to people who don’t follow the rules. These tickets can go up to $6,000,” said Premier Francois Legault.

The government confirmed that they will not be enforcing further restrictions but asked employers to close businesses from Dec. 17 to Jan. 4 to help control the COVID-19 case count and increasing number of hospitalizations.

“I cannot allow a minority of people to put the majority at risk,” stated Legault.