Coronavirus: Organs Can Now Be Played Again, Says Church in Wales

Advice against organists playing their instruments in church because they could spread coronavirus has been changed, says the Church in Wales. T

The Welsh Government had said their use should be "specifically avoided, along with singing, chanting and shouting".

But the Church in Wales said it had now received new guidance on the matter.

It said: "The decision to use an organ 'should be based on a risk assessment and adherence with social distancing, hand hygiene and cleaning guidance'. Read More

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COVID-19 and Organists: Q & A
Safety of Pipe Organs: Q & A

Whether playing a pipe organ increased COVID-19 transmission risks would depend upon a number of factors, based upon the research that I have been reading. These factors include the size of the room, the height of the organ pipes, the location of the air intake for the organ, the adequacy of the ventilation of the room, and the effects of playing the organ on air circulation in the room. Some forms of mechanical ventilation recirculate the air in a room and do increase the transmission risks. If playing a pipe organ in a particular room has a similar effect, I would think twice about using the organ. How might a church determine the effect of playing a pipe organ on air circulation? One possible method would be to set off a smoke flare next to the air intake and then observe how the smoke circulates when it emerges from the organ pipes. This should be done carefully to reduce the risk of fire. If the air circulation study is inconclusive, the church might want to pre-record any organ music, making sure to remunerate the organist for his or her services.