Churches not a priority in Covid fight

It is the duty of every government to protect its citizens from both external and internal threats.

While the Kenyan government isn’t the role model in doing exactly that, it has done a fair bit of good work in our fight against Covid-19, despite the economy taking a hit.

But one group could roll back those gains if it is allowed to have its way, and that’s the group of worshippers clamouring for the government to open up places of worship in the middle of this pandemic. Led by some clerics, they have stated that if restaurants can be opened, so can they. And they promise to adhere to all rules given by the Ministry of Health.

But if we are to learn from other countries that just doesn’t work. The Guardian reported on May 22 that Amsterdam's mixed choir met for practice after the rules had been relaxed. They sanitised their hands, wore masks and kept physical distance. Then they sang gloriously to their Lord. After it all, 102 out of the 130 members who attended the service got infected with the virus.

RELAXED RULES

This isn't an isolated incident; Germany suffered the same when they relaxed their rules after the first wave hit them. South Korea also has a tale to tell with their Patient 31 contributing heavily to the country's high infection rate after the person attended two services.

Some scientists blame this on the fact that singing or projecting one's voice, as worshippers do, causes the virus to remain suspended in air for more than eight minutes, and have a longer reach than after a normal speech. In the Kenyan church, where people get possessed by the Holy Spirit and speak loudly in tongues while the pastors shout to be heard, our worship behaviour puts us at high risk of spreading the virus.

While it is understandable that Kenyan worshippers miss their churches and that their pastors are struggling financially, it is clearly not prudent to put millions of Kenyans at risk at this point. Furthermore, it goes against the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) advice to the government, recommending that schools remain closed until a clear solution to ending the pandemic is found.

OVERCROWDING

They cited overcrowding in schools as one of the reasons why the government shouldn't rush to open schools. Well, what's good for the goose is also good for the gander. Churches, being more than all secondary schools in the country, should adhere to their own council's advice and consider encouraging online services.

While I empathise with worshippers who want to meet in their places of worship, I believe even God would want them alive for a bit longer. And churches being opened right now seems like a one-way ticket to meet their maker for some of them.

Therefore, churches and other places of worship should be the last places to reopen. I would have pointed out political gatherings as well, but since churches also double up as political gatherings, my point still stands.

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