For many people in New Jersey, having places of worship close in the first wave of the coronavirus left them disconnected spiritually and also physically isolated from their religious community.
Now that the second wave of the virus is here, the possibility of closures or restrictions on churches, synagogues and mosques is looming on the horizon.
Gov. Phil Murphy did not consider places of worship essential and exempt to his stay-at-home order March 21. They were later able to hold drive-in and outdoors services, but the state still faced lawsuits from a priest and a rabbi, the latter of whom was cited for violating the restrictions. They were finally able to hold somewhat more normal services when he increased the limit on indoor gatherings in the state from 10 to 50 people or 25% or a building’s capacity on June 9.
Murphy this week lowered the indoor gathering limit to 10 again, but exempted religious services among other activities.
His decision comes as the state has seen it’s seven-day average for new positive tests steadily rise. Hospitalizations climbed over 2,500, though much lower than the peak in the spring of roughly 8,000 patients.
We asked three health experts whether Murphy should consider closing or restricting houses of worship to try to slow the spread of the virus. Here’s what they had to say.
Bojana Beric-Stojšíc, director of the Master of Public Health program at Fairleigh Dickinson University:
“I wouldn’t close churches completely. They should be open to individual people to go there and pray if they practice that way, if that’s their way of life,” Beric-Stojšíc said. “But I would discourage gatherings, masses.”
If services are being held, she said, they should limit the number of people coming and carefully clean every surface being touched. Even still, the best thing would be to stay home, she said.
“I saw somewhere in New Jersey a big sign at a church: “Join us for Sunday Mass via Zoom,” she said. “People can do that, too. But I wouldn’t close them completely.”
A counter is used to monitor attendance at St. Brigid Church in Peapack at a June service. Any overflow would watch from the basement. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for
Bindu Balani, infectious disease doctor at Hackensack University Medical Center and faculty physician at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine:
“I think at this particular time when people are sitting at home, I think they need that sanity from spiritual support, whatever it may be,” Balani said.
“But again, there are guidelines to it. You really want to come in? That’s great, but maybe it’s a shorter visit. Try and stay less than 10 or 15 minutes, so that you’re not in a particular place for more than 15 minutes for exposure.”
She said religious leaders could aim for “short and sweet sermons” and keep the group small by staggering services.
“I personally feel you can go to church, and do whatever you need for that extra boost to help you with this difficult time,” she said. “If that’s what’s needed, that’s okay, but have ways to work along with it” to reduce the risks.
D. Brian Nichols, virologist and assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Seton Hall University:
“From a virologist’s standpoint, to avoid the spread, you don’t have large gatherings and religious services aren’t immune from large gatherings,” he said.
But given the spiritual support many people get from religious services, he said he also wouldn’t shut them down.
“Maybe the church service just looks a little bit different than it did before the pandemic. Maybe less singing, maybe less group talking. Because the more you sing, the more you shout, the more virus you’re going to expel. And the longer you are in there, the more it’s going to hang in the air. So hopefully you could reduce the time inside, reduce the density as much as possible as a way to avoid shutting it down.”
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Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
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November 22, 2020 at 07:01PM
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