The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

IN light of rising concerns over the deadly coronavirus, the Bahamas Christian Council will meet health officials tomorrow to discuss precautionary measures that could be implemented in churches across the country.

BCC president Bishop Delton Fernander told reporters yesterday that while church officials have recommendations in mind, they prefer to be guided by health professionals.

“When we leave that meeting, I will be able to speak definitively as I would’ve spoken to the council and gotten the update on what would be the best practices for all of us,” he said.

“I have some in mind, but it would be unfair until we have our meeting on Wednesday at 9(am) at Melia and we will have a way forward and we will also announce our time of prayer for the country on Easter Monday.”

His statements came after Catholic and Anglican religious leaders issued new guidelines for worship practices as safety measures to alleviate concerns about the fast-spreading virus.

Precautions to be taken by the Catholic Church, according to Archbishop Patrick Pinder, included maintaining good hygiene and refraining from physical contact during certain parts of service.

“For the time being, communion should be distributed in the hand and not on the tongue,” he noted in a letter to church members. “Eucharist ministers should thoroughly wash their hands before and after the distribution of communion.”

He also urged parishioners across the country with flu-like symptoms to remain at home until their health has been fully restored.

Meanwhile, a pastoral letter from Anglican Bishop Laish Boyd urged churchgoers not to panic, but to take the threat seriously.

“At this time, we will continue to use the common cup,” Bishop Boyd’s letter read. “Persons who are uncomfortable with this may receive in one kind, that is, the Body of Christ only.”

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Bishop Fernander said Catholic and Anglican leaders gave directives as a result of conducting communion every Sunday. “Those denominations did theirs because they have communion every Sunday and so their directives would’ve come out before our meeting,” he said.

Asked if measures should be put in place in other churches across the country, Bishop Fernander said: “Definitely, we will have best practices and pray.

“The church will be (at the) forefront as you see. Our denomination leaders already have papers ready for that meeting so it’s not like we’re going to that meeting to wait to hear. We have questions and we have a way forward.”

Bishop Fernander also said there needed to be faster methods to test for the virus.

“I think some of our panelists around the world can provide us with more faster testing and it doesn’t matter where you come from, I think the faster testing tool should be used in The Bahamas,” he said. “In other words, in some countries, you come in but you still get tested at the border. Most of our tourists come through off the airport and off of cruise ships.

“…So if you come off a ship, if you come off a plane, you’re tested and if your found to have the virus, you’re stopped accordingly.”

To date, the current number of confirmed global new coronavirus cases is 114,064. Cases in China account for the majority, with 80,739 reported.

Italy comes in second with a total of 9,172 COVID-19 cases followed by South Korea with 7,478 cases.

Up to press time, there were no reported or suspected cases of the virus in the country, however it is quickly spreading throughout the United States and other parts of the world.

As a result, the local bishop is urging all church leaders in the country to attend this week’s meeting, which will provide leaders with tips on how to conduct religious services in light of COVID-19.

“On Wednesday at Melia, we’re asking all pastors in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to meet with us and the minister of health,” he said. “He will bring his team out and he will answer our questions. We will have pamphlets.”