The umbrella Christian body in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has issued new directives to churches on running worship activities based on the second wave of COVID-19 in the country.
The directives were contained in a statement to Naija News on Monday by CAN’s general secretary, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola.
The statement appealed to all churches to observe all the COVID-19 protocols just as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has announced the emergence of the second wave of the pandemic.
The protocols include:
• There should be no entry without facemasks. All worshippers including the worship leaders must wear face masks. There should be no exceptional cases.
• People who are sick or too old should stay at home. There should be temperature screening at every entry point to the Church.
. Ensure adequate ventilation in halls of worship, open windows, and doors for air to circulate in and out freely and if possible avoid the use of air conditioners
• Hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers should be provided at point of entries and strategic points within the Church premises.
• Attendance should not exceed 1/3 of the sitting capacity of every Church. Churches can make use of their educational facilities and multi purpose halls to avoid overcrowding in the main church auditorium.
• Church auditorium should be clearly marked such that people sit and maintain two metres distance from each other
• There should be no form of direct contact. Practices such as handshakes as peace signs are discouraged.
. Sanitizers should be made available in all the rest rooms.
• Practices that require sharing of materials should be limited. Those using microphones must sanitise their hands before use.
• Worship places should be disinfected routinely, before and after worship.
. Ensure separate entry and exit points in every Church to avoid overcrowding at entry and exit points.
. Every church should make use of medical personnel to assist.
. We should be praying for the end of the pandemic in all our worships and very soon, it will become history in Jesus Name.
Meanwhile, the former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central senatorial district, Shehu Sani, has condemned the decision of the Federal Government to fix resumption date for schools amid the COVID-19 second wave.
Sani in his post on Twitter stated that the federal government is confused on how to tackle the second wave of COVID-19.
The former lawmaker called on state governments to pay more attention to the reopening of school and other COVID-19 regulatory measures and not the Federal Government.