Coronavirus ‘Uncertainty’ Causes Changes At North Jersey Churches

NEWARK, NJ — Newark Archdiocese leaders are advising churchgoers to avoid shaking hands during the “sign of peace” and stop offering the “blood of Christ” in chalices as part of a series of precautions involving the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.

On Monday, the Archdiocese of Newark issued guidance to its priests and parishioners about how to worship while minimizing their risk of contracting the potentially deadly virus.

Among the archdiocese’s recommendations:

• “Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are urged to practice good hygiene, washing their hands before Mass begins and/or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer solution before and after distributing Holy Communion—as is practiced in so many of our parishes and institutions already.”
• “The archdiocese has always advised the faithful that sickness is a valid reason not to attend Mass or other church gatherings. As such, any individual who is sick or has flu-like symptoms is urged to stay home. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is broadcast on several television channels and the sick can make a ‘spiritual communion’ until they return to good health.”
• “The sign of peace should be exchanged without physical contact.”
• “Distribution of the Precious Blood of Christ from the chalice to parishioners is to be suspended. Furthermore, no member of the faithful is obliged to receive the Body of Christ on the tongue.”

The Archdiocese of Newark encompasses the counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union, and includes about 1.5 million Catholics in 214 parishes.

“The general message from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is that all should be prepared, but not panicked,” church leaders said. “The archdiocese will continue to monitor advisories from Catholic and other organizations regarding precautions on the coronavirus and share any appropriate information with the faithful and the parishes.”

Globally, at least 85,000 people have been infected and 3,000 people have died from COVID-19, reports say, including nine in Washington. However, despite eight people being tested for the illness in New Jersey and one person being forcibly quarantined, the state hasn’t seen a single case of the novel coronavirus, officials have said.

Most New Jersey residents remain at low risk for the coronavirus, the state Department of Health said. And if anyone is having symptoms, the illness is much more likely to be caused by common respiratory viruses such as flu or the common cold, officials said.

• See related article: Another NJ Patient Tests Negative For Coronavirus
• See related article: Gov. Phil Murphy Issues NJ Update On Coronavirus

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

This article contains reporting by the Patch national desk

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