The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has highlighted the conditions to be met by churches before reopening.
We recalled that the Nigerian Government finally lifted the ban placed on religious gatherings across the country to check the spread of coronavirus.
This was made known at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Monday by the Chairman of the task force, Boss Mustapha, who announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the relaxation of the ban for four weeks.
However, the president of CAN, Samson Ayokunle, in a statement released on Wednesday said churches were expected to start reopening in the first week of June after meeting the conditions.
He also explained that the measures are put together to ensure the reopening of churches does not cause a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The guidelines given by the national religious body are as follows:
”That each church premises will be properly and thoroughly disinfected.
“Each Church will make provision of alcohol-based sanitizers, soap and water for worshipers with the supervision by medical professionals.
“There should be a mandatory use of face masks in church premises.
“Worshipers are to adhere to strict social distancing rules; one-metre gap in the sitting arrangement.
“Every church should make provision for temperature readers to take the temperature of every worshiper before admission into the church.
“People with high temperature should not be allowed into the church but be advised to go and see their doctors.
“ One and a half-hour service is enough for a start, with a gap of 25 or 30 minutes between one service and another where there are multiple services.
“Handshaking and hugging should be avoided before, during and after the service.
“Churches observing Holy Communion service are advised to use a separate cup for each participant.”
He also said that the CAN in each state and local government should constitute a committee together with law enforcement agencies in their area to enforce full compliance.
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