Limit your exposure, sit near open windows, attend outdoor services, and practice public health advice.
Not everyone attends religious gatherings. A recent Gallup poll, however, found that in 2020 47% of Americans said they were a member of a synagogue, mosque, or church. While this number has been declining steadily since the 1930s when about 73% of the US population said they were church-goers, it still amounts to a big crowd. Just over 154 million people, to be exact.
In Canada, about 20% of the population attends religious services weekly. This adds up to an additional 75 million people.
In light of these numbers, staying safe while attending church, your synagogue, or mosque, is important. As the US economy opens up but the novel coronavirus is still among us, places of worship are likely to be open. In Canada, at the time of this writing, most public gathering places are still closed. When vaccinations ramp up, however, getting together will happen again.
How can ensure you help keep yourself and your neighbor safe from the virus before we reach herd immunity? Check out these tips from CNN health expert, Dr. Leana Wen. Worship and stay safe.
Don’t Go Everywhere All at Once
CNN’s medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen advises that you consider creating a mental ‘coronavirus budget’. By this she means, even if you are vaccinated, don’t “spend” your “social minutes” like they are going out of style. Before you were vaccinated, hopefully you limited your in-person contact to essential meetings, like grocery shopping. Once you get the coronavirus vaccine, you might feel like you can be off to the races..and the movies, indoor shopping, and that family birthday party. Not so fast.
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Because there is still a slight chance you could get sick with COVID-19, and moreover, pass it onto someone who hasn’t had their vaccine and thus prolong the pandemic, you should still measure how you spend your time. Do what is most important to you. If attending religious services is at the top of your list, don’t also go out to restaurants every other night.
Follow Public Health Advice
Vaccine or no vaccine, practice social distancing at church, wear a mask, and wash and sanitize your hands both before and after your service. This can help stop the virus from spreading from surface to surface, and person to person, in groups.
Choose Outdoor Services (Even if you are vaccinated)
Many places of worship are offering services that are outdoors. If you can, choose these over indoor services. While you could still catch the virus from someone outside, fresh air helps disperse droplets in the air. Your chances of catching and spreading the virus are lower outside.
Sit Near Doors or Windows
Dr. Wen advises if you do attend indoor services that you sit near an open window or door. As stated above, fresh outdoor environments help disperse the air. Studies have shown good ventilation can be key to keeping the virus at bay.
Inquire About Cleaning Practices
Be bold. Don’t hesitate to put your place of worship on the spot. Hey, why not: your well-being is at hand. Ask how often they are cleaning surfaces, and especially shared surfaces like pens and religious books. What is being used as a disinfectant? If you need to, consider bringing your own sanitizing wipes. Use them.
Practicing your religion with others can be an uplifting thing to do. You want to ensure that you are doing so safely, however, even as the pandemic seems to lose some speed in places. We cannot let our guard down, as it isn’t over yet. Make choices that make sense and do not put your life in danger. Help us bring an end to the pandemic sooner.
photo credits: Puttipong Klinklai/Shutterstock.com
