Moldova's National Extraordinary Public Health Commission bans kissing icons, recommends avoiding organization of pilgrimages

Chisinau, 23 September /MOLDPRES/ - The National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (CNESP) has established a string of rules for the carrying out of the work of the religious cults; among the restrictions, there are also the ban on kissing cult objects and avoiding the organization of pilgrimages.  

CNESP ruled that the holding of religious holidays would take place with the observance of the following measures of prevention and control of the COVID-19 infection: organization, if the weather conditions allow this, of religious activities by cult ministers in open air, with the keeping of a distance of 1 metre between people and bearing the protection masks; allowing a limited number of people inside churches, so that an area of at least 4 square metres is provided for each person and a safety physical distance of at least 1 metre between the people participating in religious activities (excepting the cult ministers).    

The flow of people will be guided, so that the appearance of agglomerations is avoided. The cult ministers will ensure the strict observance of the provisions of the present sub-point by all people entering churches; setting disinfectant dispensers in visible and accessible places at the entrance into churches for observing the hands’ hygiene.   

Each person is obliged to disinfect his/her hands at the entrance into the church, to bear protection mask during the entire service in the church. The mask must cover both the mouth and the nose; the information on the rules of social distancing, avoiding agglomerations, limited access to churches and places of organizing services (including the maximally allowed number of people who are concomitantly in the church), as well as about the compulsoriness of the correct bearing of the protection mask, observance of the hands’ hygiene and the cough and sneeze etiquette should be put in visible places.      

The cult ministers will monitor the observance of the rules established by all people in the church; will monitor the health condition of the cult minister in the beginning of the working day. If symptoms specific for acute respiratory infection are detected, the person is not allowed to officiating the services, isolates him/herself and informs the family physician; avoiding the contact and kissing of the cult objects; not allowing the consumption of food products, including offering them, inside the church; promoting the greeting between believers at distance, exclusively by bowing the head and prayer, without the embraces; the blessing will be offered/received at a distance of at least one metre; the cult objects and surfaces with frequent contact (door handles, balustrades, chairs, etc.) will be periodically disinfected once in 3-4 hours.       

At the same time, experts of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission urge people from risk groups, elderly people and the ones with chronic diseases to avoid agglomerated places and pray at home. Also, cult ministers are recommended to avoid organization of pilgrimages.   

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