Advice about the Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

GUIDANCE FOR PARISH LEADERS

  1. Be aware that guidance is considered on a daily basis and may change. Keep up to date with the latest guidance from the national church, the NHS and the Department of Health:
https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-parishes
  • Current advice (1.3.20) is that the common cup and sharing the Peace are permitted. Anybody with symptoms of a cough or cold should avoid shaking hands during the Peace or sharing the common cup. Communion in one kind – wafer only – is still communion.
  • Discourage intinction from the chalice, including by the priest at the consecration.
  • Use tissues to catch coughs and sneezes, throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve and not into your hand.
  • Wash your hands with hot water and soap regularly. If not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser containing at least 60% alcohol. 
  • Have tissues and anti-bacterial hand sanitiser (60% alcohol) available near the entrance to church and for the altar team.
  • We recommend simple dated messages that can be posted on social media and used on newsletters, etc. For instance:

4th March 2020

  • Pray for those who are unwell.
  • If you think you might have coronavirus, call NHS 111 for help and advice.
  • Use tissues for coughs and sneezes, and bin them right away.
  • Wash your hands a lot and use the hand gel when you get to church.
  • Sharing the Peace and the common cup is fine unless you have cold/flu symptoms.
  • Please do not dip the wafer in the cup (intinct). You can just receive the wafer – receiving “in one kind” is still receiving communion.