Americans are cautiously returning to in-person religious services as vaccination rates rise and COVID-19 deaths decline, according to a survey conducted this month. But the Pew Research Center study also found that attendance at weekly services remains lower than pre-pandemic levels and that the clear majority continues to say that various modifications and restrictions — such as social distancing, mask-wearing and limiting the number of people who can attend at any one time — are needed to continue the fight against the spread of the virus.

Source: Americans slowly returning to in-person church but many still cautious about Easter

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ADDISON COUNTY, VERMONT — According to the state health commissioner, a church may have had about 100 cases in what he called the “Christmas effect.”  The church has discontinued meeting in person until the end of the current spike.

Source: Vermont sees spike in COVID-19 cases

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Podcast interview with Dr. Emily Smith, epidemiologist

To over 50,000 Facebook followers, she’s known as “Your Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist,” sharing accessible and actionable insights into the COVID-19 pandemic. Those followers, however, may not know that the Baylor professor behind that account is a leader in global health and an advocate for surgical care for children around the world. In this Baylor Connections, Emily Smith, assistant professor of epidemiology, shares the story behind her highly-regarded social media outreach and takes listeners into the halls of the United Nations to understand the need for increased access to surgical care for children and their families.

Source: Emily Smith

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In recent weeks, Ireland has achieved a sharp upward trajectory of Covid cases.  They now have one of the highest rates of spread per million population.  A newer, more contagious variant of Covid has contributed to this increased rate of spread.

As this highly-contagious variant makes its way around the world, caution is more important than ever.  Those in positions of influence should encourage those around them to follow basic precautions to protect their communities.

Source: Covid-19: Concern as Irish infection rate becomes ‘world’s highest’

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The Evangelical Alliance in Germany issued an eight point statement with considerations about how churches should respond to Covid.  This included a statement that in no case should people contribute to an increased spread of corona through carelessness.

The statement in German can be translated by Chrome and other browsers.

Source: 11/06/2020 Take responsibility and shape freedom – with consideration for your neighbor

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An impressive set of resources has been compiled by the Presbyterian Church PC(USA) to offer guidance during the Coronavirus pandemic.  These resources include worship, issues regarding resumption of in-person services, utilization of technology and how to provide support to the community.

The links shown are not necessarily specific to the denomination.  They draw from a large number of sources.  Many of these links should prove useful for church leaders, regardless of denomination.

Source: Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resource Center

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A document shows John MacArthur’s church knew of at least a dozen congregants with COVID, but there’s no sign cases were reported.

Source: John MacArthur’s Church Knew of at Least a Dozen Congregants with COVID; No Sign Church Reported | The Roys Report

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The American Medical Association filed a brief before the Supreme Court. It identified five potential risk factors posed by religious gatherings.

• Enclosed spaces
• Large Groups
• Close proximity to others
• Long duration of exposure and staying in one place
• Loud talking and singing

In a recent Supreme Court case, physicians detailed for justices the inherent risks of in-person worship during the pandemic. Learn more with the AMA.

Source: 5 reasons why religious services pose high risk of COVID-19 spread

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The Christian County Health Department has advised anybody who attended events at James River Church to monitor themselves for Covid symptoms for 14 days.

James River Church responded Monday to complaints after social media images show little social distancing and few masks at its Christmas celebrations over the weekend.

Sources: James River Church responds to complaints about crowded, unmasked Christmas services

https://www.ksmu.org/post/health-officials-warn-all-who-attended-james-river-services-watch-covid-symptoms#stream/0

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“An unexplored public health intervention for the general public is the concept of wearing eye protection when in public spaces with high traffic,” Jonathan Shenkin and Daniela Bacherini write.

Source: Opinion: Eye protection for the public may prevent COVID-19 transmission

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