COVID-19 Updates: Two Things Churches Need to Know

Temperature checks are not a fool proof way of detecting churchgoers who are infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus. Temperature checks will not detect asymptomatic people or those who are infected with the virus but for whom a fever is not a symptom. The CDC is now warning that more than 50% of all infections are spread by people who exhibit no symptoms. For this reason, mask wearing, social distancing, and other safety measures are important as people spend more time indoors due to the cold weather. Good ventilation is also important since asymptomatic people transmit the virus by exhaling aerosol particles of the virus and a flow of fresh air from outside the building will dilute and disperse any such particles lingering in the air. These particles may linger in the air for an hour or more. Activities such as singing, shouting, talking loudly, and various forms of physical exercise including dancing should be avoided because they increase people’s respiration rates, the rates at which they inhale and exhale air, and the quantity of airborne virus particles that they inhale and exhale. 

Places of worship have been identified as places of high risk of COVID-19 coronavirus transmission as have gyms, restaurants, cafes, and bars. Among the factors that increase the transmission risks in these venues are the length of time that individuals spends in a particular venue, the kinds of activities in which they engage and how these activities affect their respiration rate, their proximity to the other occupants of the room, their need to lower or remove a face mask in order to eat or drink, and the adequacy of the ventilation of the venue. The consumption of alcohol will impair individuals’ judgment and increase the likelihood of risky behavior such as discarding face masks and not keeping a six foot or more distance from the other occupants of the room. The presence of family members, friends, and other close associates can also affect individuals’ judgment and lead to their disregard of safety measures.

Both large and small indoor gatherings have been implicated in the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Gatherings in which some individuals observe recommended safety members and others do not are high risk. Practices like seating those who wear masks and those who refuse to wear them in separate sections in the same room; and separating rows of chairs by six or more feet but not individual chairs; requiring the wearing of face masks before and after worship services but not during the service should be avoided. They create an illusion of safety but do not reduce transmission risks. Reducing transmission risks requires the cooperation of the entire congregation, not just one segment of it, particularly in the light of the role that asymptomatic people play in the spread of the virus. Churches that adopt half-measures are playing with fire. They are likely to become burned.

Among the steps that my university has taken to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus on and off campus is requiring students, faculty, and staff to wear face masks at all times except when they are in their dorm room or their own home, maintaining a distance of six feet or more from each other, limiting the occupancy of a classroom to a specific number of people, requiring the occupants of the classroom sit at least six feet apart from each other, limiting the flow of traffic in hallways to one direction and requiring those walking in the hallways to space themselves at least six feet apart; placing hand sanitizer dispensers at every entrance, exit, and elevator, and throughout each building; limiting each door to one use--entrance or exit; blocking classroom doors and office doors open; limiting dining to outdoors in the smaller locations where food is sold; expanding the dining space in the university cafeteria so students are seated at least six feet apart; increasing the dining hours to prevent crowding; banning large gatherings on campus; limiting small gatherings to authorized university functions only; banning on-campus dorm room parties and off-campus house parties; and disciplining students who organize and attend such parties. Eating is no longer permitted in a number of areas where it was formerly allowed. The university has moved a large number of its classes online. The university sends daily and weekly online bulletins to students, facility, and staff encouraging their compliance with the university's safety guidelines. The university also requires students attending classes on campus and faculty and staff working on campus to daily check their temperature and report it to the university. Students, faculty, and staff who become sick are instructed to stay in their dorm room or at home. With these measures the university has been able to significantly the reduce the infection rate in the student body, faculty, and staff and to prevent the university from becoming a source of contagion in the community. Most of these measures are transferrable to a church campus.