Northern Ireland's major churches outline their plans for safe worship during the Christmas period.
Northern Ireland's main churches have introduced stricter Covid-19 rules ahead of Christmas
Under current regulations in Northern Ireland, churchgoers are only required to wear masks when entering and leaving church buildings.Many churches continue to stream their services online "This includes funeral services and wedding services, in the latter case the bridal party are exempt, but should be wise in relation to social distancing," said the church in a statement.
The general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said Christmas was a time when some families "make their one and only visit to church". Online streaming of services is also continuing in the church, according to Mr Gribben, with some churches also using a booking system for those who want to attend in-person.In a letter issued to all Methodist ministers in Northern Ireland, the church's general secretary urged ministers to be "creative" when it comes to Christmas plans.Videos and instrumentals were encouraged as an alternative to limit congregational singing.
"Careful planning" and "sensible precautions" were needed in parishes ahead of Christmas, when "larger numbers" of people attend churches, said the bishops.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Making COVID-19 vaccinations a family affair can protect against omicron: AnalysisCOVID-19 cases in children rose 16% over the last week and 32% over the last two weeks.
Read more »
WHO says no evidence yet to support tailoring COVID-19 vaccines to OmicronRyan, speaking at a social media event, said that if needed, however, the work was already underway in case Omicron-specific vaccines were needed. The agency said earlier on Friday that it was still studying the transmissibility and severity of the new variant.
Read more »
Europe surpasses 75 million COVID-19 cases amid spread of OmicronEurope crossed 75 million coronavirus cases on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, as the region braces for the new Omicron variant at a time when hospitals in some countries are already strained by the current surge. Over 15 countries in Europe have reported confirmed cases of the new variant that has rattled financial markets. The European Union's public health agency said on Thursday that the Omicron variant could be responsible for more than half of all COVID-19 infections in Europe within a few months.
Read more »
Covid-19 Vaccine Demand Strains CVS, WalgreensVaccine seekers in some states face waits of days or weeks for doses as local health officials hustle to improve access to meet surging demand. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, which are facing staffing shortages, now say they may not be able to accommodate people without appointments.
Read more »
Jeremy Chua, Nicole Midori Woodford Talk Japan Co-Production During COVID-19 – ATFProlific Singaporean producer Jeremy Chua (Cannes titles “Rehana,” “A Yellow Bird”) and compatriot Nicole Midori Woodford were among the many filmmakers affected by the glob…
Read more »
Study: Black, Asian Britons have higher COVID-19 death rates | AP NewsLONDON (AP) — Almost two years into the pandemic, Black and other ethnic minority people in Britain are still dying with the coronavirus at higher rates than white residents, likely because of lower vaccination rates, a government-commissioned report said Friday.
Read more »