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Covid-19: NCDC Releases New Guidelines For Places Of Worship
Following the review of recent restriction measures by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it has developed new
guidelines for places of worship in Nigeria.
The NCDC which continues to lead the public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria said this is to ensure safe gatherings and prevent
exposures to COVID-19 infection in religious settings.
The NCDC in the new guidelines which contained in a release from the Center platform on Saturday said “
on the 2nd of June 2020, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 announced the
relaxation of the previous ban placed on religious settings, allowing faith groups to meet while adhering to public health and social measures.
“In several countries, COVID-19 outbreaks have been linked to large gatherings, including
religious and non-religious gatherings.
“To reduce the risk of infection in places of worship,
NCDC offers the following guidance:
• There should be no entry without facemasks. All attendees and religious leaders
must wear a face mask
• People who are sick should not go to places of worship.
‘There should be
temperature screening on entry
• Hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers should be provided at the point of entries
and strategic points
• Attendance at religious settings should not exceed 1/3 of sitting capacity
• Religious centers should be clearly marked such that people sit and maintain two
meters distance from each other
• There should be no form of direct contact. Practices such as handshakes as peace
signs are discouraged
• Practices that require the sharing of materials should be limited.
“For example,
ablution should be performed at home
• Religious centers should be disinfected routinely, before and after worship
The guidelines developed by NCDC provides additional requirements to ensure that
places of worship are safe. This can be downloaded via this link”.
The NCDC added that it would continue to work with states to provide technical assistance and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of Nigerians.
The center said “in the absence of a vaccine, Nigeria and the rest of the world must depend on public
health, social measures, and supportive management of confirmed cases”.
NCDC urged all Nigerians to take individual and collective responsibility by adhering to public health
advice.
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