Congregations aren’t likely to hear any live choirs any time soon. Masks and social distancing will be in, while even the collection plate will have to go
As provinces reopen after extended shutdowns to battle the COVID-19 outbreak, churches are scrambling to devise guidelines for mass, choirs, confession and everything else that goes along with worship.“Some parishes may not have music at all, some parishes may just have a single singer,” said Neil MacCarthy, the director of public relations and communications for the Archdiocese of Toronto.
These measures will be vitally important, with older Canadians, who are more susceptible to the disease, much more likely to attend. The first wave of COVID-19 saw several outbreaks among church choirs and in churches themselves. Along with droplets being ejected from the mouth and nose while a person sings, choirs often require large groups of people to gather in smalls rooms. They are passing around sheet music and file folders and will likely be touching their face more than usual. Group singing seems to combine just about every high-transmission activity.
Churches are also working through all the other elements of worship that need to be modified during the pandemic. Mask-wearing policies will have to be devised and just about every inch of the church will have to be cleaned between services. Weddings in Ontario are currently restricted to five people, including the officiant, and churches will be keeping a close watch on new guidelines set by each province as wedding season approaches. Funerals are restricted to 10 people.
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