Colombo : Director General of Health Services, Dr.Asela Gunawardena on Saturday issued new Covid-19 health guidelines to be followed at places of religious worship.
The maximum number of participants at any religious gathering at a time should not exceed 50 according to the new 31-point health guidelines circular. The maximum limit of 50 worshippers are permitted only for the holy mass in churches, bana preaching and bodhi pooja on Poya days in temples, Friday Jumma prayers in mosques, Friday prayer days in Hindu temples and weekly prayer sessions in other religions. In all other instances individual worshipping should be done.
It says the religious places should have floor markings at least one metre apart at the entrance, lobbies, waiting areas and prayer halls to ensure the physical distancing of persons in all directions. Similarly, pews/benches should be marked at least one metre apart to ensure the physical distancing of persons. Wearing face marks is a must.
Places of religious worship should provide enough space on the sides of the preaching hall or prayer hall of the religious places to allow the worshipers to leave, starting from one end of a row up to the exit, without the need to pass between other worshippers.
“Ensure good ventilation at the religious places. Persons should avoid handshakes, hugs or any other forms of physical greetings or contact. Should not have or distribute any kind of food or drink inside the religious place. Stay at home if you have even slightest symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath etc. Worshipers or staff should not attend the religious places if under quarantine or an immediate close contact of a positive person. No special religious activities such as possessions, festivals,food distribution (Annathanam), ‘Kavadi’ are allowed until further notice. Hand to hand passing of flower trays and water pots during Buddha Poojas and Bodhi Poojas or any other activities are also not allowed,” the guidelines explained.
“During the Holy Communion in churches, priests should distribute the consecrated host to the communicant’s hand instead of keeping it on the tongue. Sharing of wine during communion should not be practiced.
Priests should not apply holy ash (vibhuti) or any other material on the forehead / body of worshipers in kovils and devalayas or any other religious place,” it added.
