COVID protocol being breached at some churches - Westmoreland CMO raises concerns, appeals to clergy to ensure compliance

WESTERN BUREAU

Members of the clergy in Westmoreland are being accused by Dr Marcia Graham, the parish’s chief medical officer of health, of breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) as it relates to the COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

“Our public health officers are periodically monitoring places of worship on the weekends and I have already gotten some reports of lapse in compliance,” Graham told last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC). “I have seen videos of church services where people are not wearing masks and all that.”

She was responding to queries made by Rudolph Utter, the councillor for the Frome division and minority leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) caucus at the WMC, in which he had raised concerns about the protocols governing the religious community.

While not naming anyone, Graham said that she had to reprimand a member of the clergy.

“I even had to call a pastor to say listen, we are willing to work with you in getting compliant, because if you are found in breach and you are not taking corrective measures, then we might have to give you a two-week break to sit down and get it right before you resume your worship,” said Graham.

She said church worship setting has a different set of protocols and regulations under the DRMA, which does not limit the allowable gathering numbers in public places to 10; instead, it is determined by the size of the building, where members must be able to sit six feet apart in any direction.

APPEAL TO THE CHURCH

However, even with the exception in the provision, the medical chief said not all churches are in compliance.

“I want to appeal to the community of faith, please try to limit the length of the church services. It has been reported to me of services lasting for three hours and more and that is not good for mask tolerance,” she said.

Last December, the government implemented tighter COVID-19 measures in Westmoreland, amid a steady uptick in COVID-19 cases coupled with hospitalisation and deaths.

At the time, there were 117 active cases with more than 100 new cases within a two weeks window. However, according to Ministry of Health and Wellness clinical studies, those numbers reached 853 as of February 10.