Following the lifted ban on the religious gathering by the Federal Government, the Presidential Task Force Committee on COVID-19 has advised persons above 55 to stay away from churches and mosques.
This was disclosed during a press briefing by the PTF National Coordinator, Sani Aliyu in Abuja on Tuesday in its guidelines for the resumption of church activities.
Sani Aliyu, said, “In view of the widespread community transmission of COVID-19, it is important that places of worship operate in a safe manner to ensure the protection of public health, avoid outbreaks and safeguard the health of the vulnerable members of the population.
“To this end, the guidelines have been developed as a minimum set of standards that have to be complied with for places of worship to safely operate nationwide.
“They have been developed by the PTF in liaison with the leadership of religious communities in the country and should be used as a baseline for states to allow these activities.
“It is important to note that due to the nature of religious congregations, places of worship are particularly recognised to have a major potential for spreading COVID-19 infections amongst worshippers.
“Volunteers should be limited to exact numbers needed and none of the volunteers should have underlying medical conditions or be above the age of 55 years.
“No social gatherings before or after worship.
“Those with underlying conditions or above 55 are strongly advised to stay at home and explore virtual participation. “Windows should be left open during services and preferably use the open-air facility as much as possible.”
Others include that worshippers must sanitise their hands, use face masks, avoid handshakes, and temperature checks are done before entry at worship centres.
