How can churches reopen safely post-COVID?

For most Christians, devout and otherwise, churches have always been an activity that they look forward to. Nonetheless, since the pandemic struck, a lot of church activities have been relegated to virtual gatherings. In fact, the virtual world has made following religion so much simpler, that a user can simply provide followers access to a secured portal of sermons and prayers from the comfort of their homes.

While technology has changed the way we live life, on the whole, digital integration of religion was something that man had not fathomed, at least until the Covid19 struck. As a matter of fact, using QR Codes with the help of an online QR code generator to access a church, was simply unheard of. However, now in this new normal, where technological assimilations to religion are actual reality, making churches and religious gatherings safe again may not seem a herculean task anymore.

Here are some ways in which churches can reopen safely post COVID:

1. Strict Social Distancing Norms
Church management at all times has to ensure strict social distancing norms are followed by all followers that visit the Church. To facilitate ease in maintaining physical distance, churches can also modify their interiors a bit by placing benches away from each other. This way without applying a lot of effort, patrons will be able to maintain the mandated 6 feet distance while offering their prayers. Moreover, making markings with indelible ink on the floor to mark the spot at which each worshipper can stand is also a good way for the Church board to ensure social distancing is followed in the holy place.

2. Making Masks and Sanitization Mandatory
Wearing masks in public spaces or gatherings is a protocol prescribed by the Government. Hence, the Church management should be particularly mindful of this and ensure all visitors are wearing proper masks at all times. The church should also set in place a sanitization process, wherein all followers are sanitized while entering and exiting the church. The Church floors, washrooms, premises, and any other common area accessible to large crowds should also be sanitized every half an hour to maintain a hygienic and virus free environment. Further, before entering, church management must ensure adequate temperature checks are done for worshippers and any suspected cases are respectfully sent back.

3. Changing Customs
Some customs are deep-rooted in our religion. They hold a lot of significance to worshippers and are followed ardently in Churches all over the globe. However, owing to the new normal way of living – continuing to follow these customs may result in a potential hazard to people due to the lack of social distancing protocols. Hence, in the interest of the Church visitors, the management should ensure customs and ceremonies that do not adhere to social distancing norms or require worshippers to be in less than a 6 feet distance from each other are temporarily done away with.

4. Offer virtual sermons and prayers
While there can be no replacement to physically going to a Church and offering prayers – in tenuous times like these – the church management should encourage usage of virtual platforms for delivering sermons and prayers. Although this may not give the same feeling as a real religious gathering, it serves the purpose of making each one’s home a church while ensuring that worshippers are socially distant and safely cooped up in their respective houses. Moreover, offering virtual prayers simultaneously while the Church is open or live streaming Church prayer meets for worshippers will substantially help in reducing the pressure and people overload from Churches. Worshippers who are old, senior citizens, or disabled will thus avoid coming to Churches and follow religious sermons at home, thus protecting them from any unnecessary strain on virus exposure.

5. Encourage praying outdoors/ in the open
Social distancing in an enclosed space is difficult, almost impossible when there is a huge crowd. Hence, it is highly advisable to hold prayer meetings outdoors or in the open where a large crowd can congregate without flouting any norms of restricted physical contact. When speaking about outdoors, these outdoors can also mean the Church premises or compound or any other place around the Church which can host a large crowd of worshippers without any danger to anybody’s life due to probable community spread of the virus.

6. Keep safety gear and equipment handy

Lastly, though the economy has opened and the lockdown has been lifted, the effects of the pandemic are here to stay for a while. Thus, there is always a looming fear of a community transmission or a sudden casualty. In such a situation, if Churches are to re-open safely, they should equip themselves with the mandatory safety gear and equipment that can be used in emergencies. This safety gear can be in the form of necessities like masks and gloves that can be offered to worshippers who forget to get masks or any other equipment that can come in handy in any unforeseen event.

Conclusion

This deadly pandemic, though an unprecedented situation, has been a wakeup call to each one of us. It has made us realize the importance of being closer to God, and the means to do the same. Hence, as people who have been bestowed upon this life by the Almighty, each person at their end must try to make worshipping and visiting Churches a safe activity again. It is the collective responsibility of every follower, to take proper precautions as mandated by the Government and the World Health Organization to ensure they protect themselves, their families, and their fellow worshippers from the ill effects of this and any other life-threatening disease that will linger on in our life in the future.