The Church in Utah is already relaxing restrictions

[mentalgymnast]

Cinepro, is there a church-wide protocol for sacrament preparers and servers such as hand washing, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks?

How do the wards deal with members or leaders who refuse to wear masks due to ideology, or even babies and children who cannot use masks?

Our ward in Utah has been meeting on an alternate schedule. In person one week, ZOOM the next. Splitting the ward into two groups. Priests and YM leaders at the Sacrament table use hand sanitizer before beginning. Deacons carry two trays when passing the water. Used cups go in empty tray. I have not seen one person without a mask on the weeks we attend. Bishop’s counselor wipes podium and microphone each time someone has stepped up to speak or say prayers. As has been mentioned, ingesting the bread creates no risk of ingesting viral material that will become infectious and cause harm.

And in the meantime we are able to worship, sing, and be fed spiritually. Win win.

Although, I must say, singing is kind of hard when your glasses are fogging up while wearing a mask and you’re trying to read the words off of a smartphone. No books allowed.

Here in Utah those that are age 65 and older are on schedule to begin receiving the vaccine beginning March 1st. Operation Warp Speed seems to have been fairly successful. In some states more than others, granted.

Regards,
MG

[cinepro]

Cinepro, is there a church-wide protocol for sacrament preparers and servers such as hand washing, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks?

How do the wards deal with members or leaders who refuse to wear masks due to ideology, or even babies and children who cannot use masks?

I'm not privy to the specific guidelines. Based on what I've been seeing from our streaming sacrament meetings (strict mask wearing and constant wiping down of the podium and microphone between talks), I don't think my ward will have a problem with precautionary measures. Other wards may have different experiences.

I doubt the priests or anyone else will use gloves, since they don't offer any more protection than well-washed hands.