MONTREAL -- Without fanfare and without advertising it, the Quebec government has made a major alteration to the public health regulations pertaining to funerals.

On Friday, the government issued a ministerial decree that allows people to rotate in and out of funerals but no press release or statement was issued about the change.

In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for the provincial Health Ministry confirmed the change, saying that “it is allowed during the exhibition of the body or ashes of the deceased, as well as during the expression of condolences,” for there to be turnover, so long as the “the number of people present at the same time never exceeds the maximum” permitted by alert level rules for that region.

On Monday, Montreal and Laval will both have their alert status lowered from red to orange.

According to the provincial regulations for orange zones, funerals are “limited to a maximum of 25 people, excluding funeral workers and volunteers inside or out the building,” and masks must be worn while inside.