COVID Safety Guidelines

COVID Safety Guidelines

FALL 2021 COVID SAFETY GUIDELINES

“Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.”

Philippians 2:4 CEB

As more and more people were vaccinated, our hope was that life would return to something that resembled life before the pandemic. Unfortunately, the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused a third wave of increased infections and hospitalizations.  Here is what we know about the current status of COVID-19 in the state of New Jersey.

    • The current rate of transmission (RT) in NJ is above 1.0, which means that each infected person is spreading the virus to at least more than one other person.
    • At the time of this writing there were 139 people on ventilators. At the same time last year there were only 39.
    • At the end of September New Jersey was averaging 20 COVID related deaths per day. At the same time last year the average was only 10 deaths per day.

While the vaccination rates continue to climb (NJ is 6th in the nation at almost 70%), the virus is still actively spreading. There are more people in the hospital, more people on ventilators, and more daily deaths than this time last year.

Here are some simple guidelines to follow. Remember, an effective Covid reduction strategy uses several (even all) of these tools.

    1. Vaccination: vaccines are the most effective tool
    2. Masking:  masks should be mandatory, high quality (surgical, N95, or KN95) and worn over both the nose and mouth (a mask only on the chin is useless!)
    3. Ventilation:  outdoors is best, open doors and windows are second best
    4. Social distancing:  keep people apart and encourage them not to touch each other
    5. Air filtration: use HEPA filters
    6. Limiting contact time:  minimize the time that people are near each other
    7. Providing a virtual worship alternative and encouraging people to use itif they have any doubt about their health status and/or have been exposed to someone with Covid

The following tools have lower value for Covid prevention* and should not take priority over the the above tools

    1. Onsite symptom checks, including temperature checks — people can be contagious and feel fine, not everyone with Covid gets a fever, people attribute symptoms to other causes
    2. Surface disinfection — Covid is seldom transmitted via surfaces
    3. Pre- or post-gathering “air cleaning” is most likely useless (air filtration with HEPA filters DURING a gathering is useful)

* Symptom checks and surface cleaning have value in preventing other diseases. 

It is particularly important that musicians, the pastor, and other worship leaders be vaccinated.  Because Covid is airborne, churches should be particularly concerned about praise teams, choirs, and wind instruments — for the protection of both the musicians themselves and everyone else.  Musicians inhale and exhale a lot of high-velocity air — and are often unmasked.  The pastor and worship leaders are also likely unmasked at least part of the time and most likely cannot maintain strict-social distancing from congregants.

Churches should include restrooms in their ventilation strategy.  These are often small, poorly ventilated spaces.

The presbytery understands that the ultimate decision to return to worship and other church gatherings/programs is the responsibility of the session. As you discern whether it is time to return to in-person worship, bring back the choir, or hold Sunday School, the presbytery asks you to please keep in mind how the virus impacts different people in your congregation and community. Who in your community cannot be vaccinated and how can you protect them? What practical steps can the congregation take to reduce both personal risk and the risk of passing covid along to someone else. It is our hope that the strategies listed above will assist you in your discernment.

 

Sincerely,

Your COVID Working Group
Tia Goss Sawhney
Carlos Monteagudo
Rev. Dan Martian
Rev. Maria Cropmton

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Food Pantry Bulletin

Updated 2/5/24 Crescent Avenue Church 716 Watchung Avenue, Plainfield, New Jersey 908.756.2468 Each Tuesday of the month (except the first Tuesday) a full, hot meal is served. In addition, groceries are available for pickup as well as clothing, toiletries and more....

Heartfelt Blessings Of Thanks From The Cranford Elmora Soup Kitchen

After relocating from the Elmora Presbyterian Church in 2004, the Cranford Elmora Soup Kitchen has called First Presbyterian of Cranford home. The Soup Kitchen would not have survived without the prayers and support of our church family and our numerous volunteer...

Salvation and Social Justice- Paid Internship

Salvation and Social Justice wants to invite Black youth and young adults across the state of New Jersey to apply for our paid internship for young people. What: 8-month paid internship where SandSJ seeks to teach and prophetically equip Black youth and young adults...