California issued guidelines on Monday that would allow places of worship to open, while still "strongly recommending" institutions hold remote services for vulnerable populations including older adults.
Here are some of the suggestions included in the guidance:
• Religious leaders are asked to "strongly consider" discontinuing singing and group recitation where transmission of the virus through exhaled droplets is increased.
• Sharing items like prayer books, prayer rugs, and hymn books are discouraged and single use or digital copies are suggested as alternatives.
• Potlucks should be discontinued and communion is suggested to be modified by offering in the hand rather than on the tongue.
• Attendance should be held to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.
• Holding services outside is encouraged.
• Pews and other seating should be reconfigured to keep six feet of physical distance between households.
• Shorter services and implementation of a reservation system to limit the number of attendees at one time are suggested.
Despite the guidelines, the state cautions that “even with adherence to physical distancing, convening in a congregational setting of multiple different households to practice a personal faith carries a relatively higher risk for widespread transmission of COVID-19.”
No comments:
Post a Comment