Easter, Passover, Ramadan and Vaisakhi all fall within the month of April, so it’s an important month across different faiths.
And with lockdown being relaxed across the UK, more places of worship are now open – but there are still changes to worshippers’ usual practices.
What are the current rules?
A number of common measures are in place across the UK:
- Services should be carried out in the shortest possible time – to ensure safety and minimise infection spread
- Worshippers should wear face coverings and keep a 2m (6ft) distance from anyone not from their own household or support bubble
- People must not mingle with anyone not in their own household or support bubble, and should be “encouraged to move on promptly” afterwards
- If shoes are removed before a service, people should avoid touching other people’s footwear
- Items such as prayer mats, service sheets, religious texts or hymn books should not be shared – worshippers should bring their own and then take them home
- If people can’t bring their own books, places of worship can offer a selection for individuals to use, but these should be quarantined for 48 hours before and after use
- Those giving and receiving food and drink in a service must observe strict precautions
- Spoken responses from worshippers should be uttered softly, and there should be no communal singing or chanting indoors to reduce the risk of transmission