The Diocese of Northwest Texas Coronavirus Statement

Our response as faith communities to COVID-19 (commonly known as the coronavirus) should always balance the need to be prepared and take precautions with the pastoral care of our parishes and the communities we serve. As always, everyone is invited and welcome to join in our worship and sacraments. We need our corporate worship and prayer and our fellowship to nourish us as we walk the way of love.

The most important preparation we can take is to stay accurately informed. Always check the date and source of your information. The CDC provides the most current information possible and you can sign up to receive email updates as they are available.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Your local health department may also be issuing updates. Find out how they provide these updates (email, website, social media) and check them often.

As with all communicable diseases we need to be mindful of those in our community who are more susceptible because of existing health conditions. If you or a family member are ill, please stay home. In our culture, pushing through an illness is often seen as a strength but in reality, you are putting others at risk as well as inhibiting your own recovery. 

The Lay Ministers and Clergy who lead our worship should take special precautions, not just because of this new virus but at all times to help prevent the spread of colds, flu and other viruses.

• Prior to each service, Lay Ministers and Clergy should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds (to time it, sing the Doxology slowly while washing). Just before setting the table and serving Communion, use hand sanitizer.
• Those serving the cup should be very intentional with wiping the inside and outside of the rim after each use and using a clean area of the purificator with each wipe as well as turning the cup a quarter turn each time.
•  Ask those who prefer to intinct to be extra careful not to let their fingers or their finger nails touch the wine or the inside of the cup. Intincting provides a greater risk for spreading germs than sipping from the cup.
•  Place small bottles of hand sanitizer in the pews or a convenient location for all as they move forward to receive communion.
•  If someone chooses not to partake of the wine, the minister should not just pass them by but stop and say the same words used with those partaking of the wine.
•  When cleaning the worship space, wipe down the altar rail, the backs and arms of the pews, and the edges of the offertory plates with a sanitizer. Think of other things that everyone touches and sanitize those as well.

Add a Virus Outbreak Plan to your overall Parish Preparedness Plan. Work with health professionals in your congregation and your vestry to ask and answer these types of questions:

• If there are local quarantines, how can we help care for those who are quarantined by providing meals, getting medication, providing pet services?
• If there are local quarantines, how can we enable those who are quarantined to participate from a distance? Can we broadcast our service (live streaming on facebook for example) or providing an audio recording or printed lessons and sermons?
• If we are told by community officials that we must cancel services, how do we communicate this to our congregation and how can we foster fellowship and connection virtually?

As of March 4, 2020, there are no known cases of COVID-19 in Texas (see above for keeping your information correct and accurate). Worldwide, the majority of those who have become seriously ill from the virus are the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions that make them more susceptible to illnesses. For now, the basic prevention measures are the best:

• Wash your hands well and often, for at least 20 seconds being thorough and paying attention to around your finger nails, in between your fingers, the backs of your hands, and your wrists.
• Sanitize common and ‘high-touch” surfaces such as door knobs, your phone and keys, your keyboard and mouse, the office coffee pot handle, etc.
• When you cough or sneeze use a disposable tissue and throw it in the trash after using it. If possible, wash your hands immediately after or use hand sanitizer.
• If you are ill, please stay home.

Additional preparation and precautions can include stocking up on basic supplies and non-perishable foods as well as regular medications.

• Buy only what you and your family would need for an extra week or so. Be mindful of others and do not buy all you can just because it is available. This creates unnecessary shortages and keeps others from being able to prepare.
• Check with your doctor and insurance company about getting two weeks of extra medications if you regularly get a 30-day supply and be sure to always have your prescriptions refilled on time.

And, a note on masks. in the general population, masks do not keep a healthy person from getting sick. They provide minor prevention for those who are sick in spreading their illness. If everyone goes and buys masks and create shortages, the medical personnel who need them and use them effectively cannot get the supplies they need.

Information compiled by the Rev. Nancy Springer, Rector of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Midland, TX and also the Disaster Preparedness Coordinator for the Diocese of Northwest Texas.