Beloved Southwest Conference members, I pray that all is going well with you and that you are in good health, just as it is well with your soul.[1]
On Friday, Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance for social distancing, wearing masks, and other COVID19 mitigation strategies. This guidance is based on “COVID19 Community Levels.” Different mitigation strategies are recommended depending on whether your local COVID19 Community Level in determined to be low, medium, or high. A tool for monitoring your county’s COVID19 Community Level was also released.
The SWC strongly encourages local congregations to
· Learn how the CDC determines COVID19 Community Levels
· Regularly monitor your Local COVID19 Community Level
· Follow the CDC’s guidance for each level as a minimum response to COVID19 mitigation
The CDC also shared new best practices for settings in which people regularly congregate. “Some community settings such as schools… might include additional layers of prevention (e.g., physical distancing, contact tracing) based on information and data about the characteristics of the setting. High-risk congregate settings may implement added prevention as needed.” Your church may determine that yours is a “high-risk congregate setting” based on specific characteristics of people related to your ministry setting (preschool operates on site, participation of people with certain medical conditions, etc.). Age of participants is another factor for making this determination. “Older adults are at highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. More than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65. The number of deaths among people over age 65 is 97 times higher than the number of deaths among people ages 18-29 years.
Added layers of prevention might include any of the following:
Requiring masks in spaces where people congregate
Social distancing
Following the 2 out of 3 Rule (graphic at right)
Contact tracing
Local churches are free to establish requirements stricter than guidance for each of the CDCs COVID19 Community Levels to protect the most vulnerable people among us.
The CDC said in their updated guidance, “People may choose to mask at any time.”[2] Best practices for churches continue to include providing masks, affirmation, and support for people who choose to mask, maintain social distance, or refrain from gathering in person when the church is not requiring such mitigation strategies.
“Recommendations based on COVID-19 Community Levels may not apply to healthcare settings such as hospitals or long-term care facilities.”[3] This difference impacts pastoral visits in certain facilities. When making in-home visits a best practice for clergy might be to observe CDC guidelines consistent with healthcare facilities to better prevent spreading COVID19 between households. Local church leaders should be aware that the CDC is no longer updating their Toolkit for Community and Faith-based Organizations pages or links.
“Vaccines are highly protective against severe disease[4], and continuing to expand vaccine coverage and ensuring people are up to date with vaccination is essential to protecting individuals against hospitalizations and deaths.”[5] Encouraging everyone who is eligible to receive COVID19 vaccinations and boosters continues to be a best practice for churches.
The CDC continues to advise that “people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.”[6] Individuals should not attend in-person church gatherings if they find themselves in any of those situations.
With this new guidance the CDC issued new tools.
Deep breathing is a practice I employ when stress and anxiety start to build up inside. COVID19 has made it hard to use that strategy sometimes because I feared catching the virus if I breathed too deeply. And still deep breathing is necessary and beneficial. So, I am taking a deep breath today as I receive the CDC’s new guidance. I remain committed to the values of love and the common good that have guided our congregations through these last 2 years of pandemic response. May we strive to end this pandemic as if it all depends on our individual choices. And let us continue to pray for the health and wellbeing of our churches, church members, family members, and our world in general as if everything depends on God. God in your mercy…
In love, gratitude, and your service,
Rev. Dr. William M. Lyons
Conference Minister
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (3 Jn 2). (1989). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html#anchor_47145
[4] https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#covidnet-hospitalizations-vaccination
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html#anchor_47145
[6] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html