Christmas Services Increase COVID Exposure, Health Experts Warn

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — The dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health told the media he is personally canceling his own family gathering this Christmas out of an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus omicron variant that is sweeping the nation.

Dr. Perry Halkitis also told people that if they plan to worship in-person this Christmas, expect that they will be exposed to omicron.

"If people are going to gather in places of worship, they should be prepared for the fact that they will be exposed to the variant," Dr. Halkitis told the New Jersey Herald.

Coronavirus is surging in New Jersey: This Tuesday was the sixth day in a row that New Jersey logged more than 6,000 positive tests, a record high. Hospitalizations are rising too, but not at the level they did last winter.

The omicron strain is now the dominant strain in the U.S., overtaking delta, but CNN reports that two new studies released this week add to a growing body of evidence that omicron appears less likely to cause severe disease and death, especially compared to the Delta variant that surged this summer.

Services at all Catholic churches in New Jersey will still take place in person this Christmas, said the Catholic diocese in this Dec. 14 statement. Face masks are not actually required in Catholic churches, but attendees are "strongly encouraged" to wear them, said the church.

Other churches are taking more precautions: The massive cathedral of St. John the Divine, an Episcopal church in Manhattan, is moving all Christmas Eve and day services online.

"Out of an abundance of caution, and following guidance from New York City and federal health experts, this year’s Christmas services will move online," said the church this week.

In New Jersey, the Episcopal diocese of Newark said Thursday morning that Christmas Eve and Day services are still being held in-person at most churches, as long as masks are worn and social distancing observed, said Nina Nicholson, a spokeswoman for the Episcopal diocese.

However, she did that say some Episcopal churches in New Jersey are deciding to make services either entirely virtual or hold them outside:

• At St. James, Upper Montclair, the children's Christmas Eve service is being held on the lawn and via Zoom, and all other Christmas services are being held entirely online.
• St. David's in Kinnelon decided Dec. 20 to return to online-only worship.
• Grace Church in Westwood is asking in-person attendees to pre-register to ensure that the number of attendees permits social distancing.
• St. George's in Maplewood said its clergy and church staff have all been vaccinated and boosted taking COVID tests this week as an extra precaution. The Christmas pageant is being moved outside. The pre-service concert, usually a mix of sung and instrumental pieces, is being changed to entirely instrumental. The choir will be upgrading their masks to KN95s and reducing the number of pieces sung during the service; and the congregation is being asked to limit singing to just two carols.

"For Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and 1st Sunday of Christmas (Dec. 26) our churches are taking a variety of approaches," said Nicholson. "Several have moved all services online. Others have a variety of options including online services, in-person services with masking and distancing, and outdoor services. All parishioners have been encouraged to consider their own health needs. Our priority to for all to have a safe and holy celebration of Christmas."

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