Churches need to establish COVID-19 handling and health protocol task forces.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry has issued Circular Letter Number 33/2021 regarding the 2021 Christmas celebrations and worship, the ministry's acting director general of Christian guidance, Pontus Sitorus, informed during a dialogue here on Friday.

"It aims to control the transmission of COVID-19 in churches or places which will be used as churches for the 2021 Christmas celebrations," he said.

The circular requires that the activities be implemented under strict health protocols, he added.

"Churches need to establish COVID-19 handling and health protocol task forces. They must coordinate with the regional task forces," the acting directorate general informed.

In addition, the implementation of worship should be carried out in a simple way, Sitorus said. It is recommended that worship activities be held in a mix of online and offline formats, he added.

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The number of people attending offline events must not exceed 50 percent of a room's capacity, he said.

Furthermore, churches have been allowed to remain open till 10 p.m. Western Standard Indonesia Time (WIB), he added.

Church administrators are required to implement the 5M health protocols – washing hands, wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility, Sitorus said.

In addition, they must arrange thermometers, provide hand sanitizers or washbasins, carry out regular cleaning, and ask congregants to use the mobile contact-tracing app PeduliLindungi, he informed.

They must also provide extra medical masks for congregants and prohibit anyone who is ill from attending religious activities, he added.

"All rectors of religious high schools and heads of all Religious Affairs Offices must implement the regulation and carry out its socialization," he stressed.

Earlier, the National Police also prohibited Christmas and New Year celebrations which can trigger crowds, in accordance with the Instruction of Home Affairs Minister Number 62/2021.

Related news: PGI urges churches to make Christmas, New Year celebrations virtual



Translator: Indriani, Uyu Liman
Editor: Suharto
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