A year ago, religious leaders were forced to quickly plan virtual services for Easter, Ramadan and Passover as a deadly pandemic was getting its grip on the world
Now, as a small but growing percentage of Nigerians have
been vaccinated, and gatherings are allowed in many states, the faithful are
greeting the 2021 holy season with a mix of excitement, enthusiasm – and
caution.
Days ahead of Easter and two weeks before Ramadan, the World
Health Organization on Wednesday cautioned against crowded indoor celebrations
that could trigger a fresh surge in coronavirus infections.
“In countries experiencing widespread community transmission
of the virus, virtual meetings, postponing or reducing such gatherings should
be seriously considered,” said a WHO statement.
“Regardless of location, any religious service should be
held outdoors wherever possible or be limited in size and duration, with
physical distancing, ventilation, hand hygiene and mask use, as appropriate,”
it added.
Better would be for people to mark the festivals with those
they lived with and avoid meeting others — especially if feeling unwell or in
isolation or quarantine, it said.
“Indoor gatherings, even smaller ones, can be especially
risky.”
Experts are worried that some people may drop their guard
while celebrating religious festivals, just as many countries are imposing
restrictions to try to slow rising numbers of Covid-19 infections.
In the coming days, Christians celebrate Easter, while
Muslims begin the fasting month of Ramadan on April 13.
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