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White House Urges Social Distancing During Easter

Patsy Widakuswara

   WASHINGTON - As Americanscelebrate Passover and Easter under the threat
   ofCOVID-19, the White House coronavirus task forceis urgingreligious
   communities to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

   U.S.Vice President Mike Pencethis weeksaidhe will be attending a
   virtual service with his home churchinthe state ofIndiana from his
   living roomonEaster Sunday. He encouraged religious communities to
   follow [1]social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease
   Control and Prevention.

   "With Easter celebrations this Sunday, we just want to encourage every
   American to heed the counsel of the guidelines, put those into effect,"
   Pence said. He added that in doing so "we'll hasten the day that we put
   the coronavirus in the past and we reopen our country."

   As religious communities around theUnited Statesadapt to the new
   reality under COVID-19, whether it beCatholicdrive-through confessions
   from the relative safety ofthecarorfamilies sharing Seder
   mealsvirtually during Passover -- there are stark differences
   betweenU.S.states in their guidelines for worship during the outbreak.

   Citingpolitical sensitivitiesandtheprotection of religious freedom,of
   the 39 states that have implemented stay at home orders, 12 allow some
   degree of exemption for worship and religious gatherings.

   New Mexico and Florida for example, consider attending services in
   housesof worship an"essential activity,"and do not include
   congregations in a church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship
   in the definition of "mass gatherings" that are barred.

   Even in states where houses of worship must close during the pandemic,
   there have been violations. The Life Tabernacle Churchin Louisiana
   hosted a service on Palm Sunday, violating the state's stay-at-home
   guidelines.

   "Everybody's fine," said Tony Spell, the church's pastor."They would
   rather come to church and worship like free people than live like
   prisoners in their homes."

References

   1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html

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