CDC offers the following general considerations to help communities of faith discern how best to practice their beliefs while keeping their staff and congregations safe.  Millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life.  For many faith traditions, gathering together for worship is at the heart of what it means to be a community of faith. But as Americans are now aware, gatherings present a risk for increasing the spread of COVID-19 during this public health emergency. CDC offers these suggestions for faith communities to consider, consistent with their own faith traditions, in the course of preparing to reconvene for in-person gatherings while still working to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, and acceptable, and tailored to the needs and traditions of each community of faith.  The information offered is non-binding public health guidance for consideration only; it is not meant to regulate or prescribe standards for interactions of faith communities in houses of worship. Any decision to modify specific religious rites, rituals, and services should be made by religious leaders.  Specific preventive actions are provided as examples only.

Scaling Up Operations

• Establish and maintain communication with local and State authorities to determine current mitigation levels in your community.
• Provide protections for staff and congregants at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Offer options for staff at higher risk for severe illness (including older adults and people of all ages with certain underlying medical conditions) that limit their exposure risk. Offer options for congregants at higher risk of severe illness that limit their exposure risk (e.g., remote participation in services).
• Consistent with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, put in place policies that protect the privacy and confidentiality of people at higher risk for severe illness regarding underlying medical conditions.
• Continue to provide congregants with spiritual and emotional care and counseling on a flexible or virtual basis or refer them to other sourcesfor counseling and support if necessary.
• Encourage any organizations that share or use the facilities to also follow these considerations if feasible.
• If your community provides social services in the facility as part of its mission, consult CDC’s information for schools and businesses and workplaces, as relevant, for helpful information.

Promote healthy hygiene practices

• Encourage staff and congregants to maintain good hand hygiene, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Have adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors, including soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol (for those who can safely use hand sanitizer), tissues, and no-touch trash cans.
• Encourage staff and congregants to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of their elbow. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed.
• Whenever soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used.
• Consider posting signs on how to stop the spreadpdf icon of COVID-19 and promote everyday protective measurespdf icon, such as washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and properly wearing a face coveringimage icon.

Cloth face coverings

• Encourage use of cloth face coverings among staff and congregants. Face coverings are most essential when social distancing is difficult. Note: Cloth face coverings should not be placed on children younger than 2 years old, anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, and anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms.