Moreover, it is easier to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in some activities compared to others. Oct. 6-8 Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Sister Susan Gong test positive for COVID-19; all members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are tested (results come back negative). Nov. 12 Utah Area Presidency issues four temporary adjustments to meetings and activities; the Church announces plans for Temple Square lights and virtual Christmas devotionals and performances. Dec. 16 President Nelson shares worldwide Christmas message via social media inviting all to help others feel the Saviors love. May 19 First Presidency announces some meetings, activities to resume. Nevertheless, limiting gatherings to only vaccinated congregants could prove challenging as churches may be reluctant to require a proof of vaccination for entry through their doors. But Allen said she fears its still not enough to convince the many families in her congregation who refuse to wear masks and have succumbed to anti-vaccine misinformation. She cited the churchs history of encouraging members to seek their own personal revelations with God. My colleague Kelsey Dallas conducted an analysis of Supreme Court rulings favoring religious rights. Therefore, the decision on when it is safe for vaccinated and unvaccinated congregants to gather should primarily be based on the level of COVID-19 infection in the community and not on the proportion of congregants vaccinated. PFLEGER: The truth is, in Tennessee, nearly 90% of COVID-19 hospitalizations are unvaccinated people. President Russell M. Nelson prayed often for a COVID-19 vaccine throughout 2020. The First Presidency again urged Latter-day Saints in an Aug. 12 message to be vaccinated and wear face masks in public meetings when social distancing is not possible. Church leaders said in a statement that available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective and urged members to Aug. 3 The more contagious Delta variant is rapidly increasing, accounting for an estimated 93.4% of coronavirus circulating in the U.S. during the last two weeks of July, according to figures published by the CDC. We have prayed often for this literal godsend, President Nelson said in a Facebook post on Jan. 19, soon after receiving the shot. April 14 First Presidency announces more than 110 COVID-19 relief projects in 57 countries. This is an alarming development because these variants may worsen and prolong the pandemic. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson speaks during a news conference on June 14, 2021, in Salt Lake City. 30 million meals to children in nine developing countries. As COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, many churchgoers are in a lower priority group for vaccination, and some may never be vaccinated either by choice or due to health reasons. Many faith leaders have spoken in support of vaccinations, including Church President Russell M. Nelson, a former heart surgeon who got the vaccine in January and encouraged members to follow his example. The project, completed in mid-2021, In countries like the US where the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began last December, experts predict it will be fall before vaccination coverage reaches 7090 percent and herd immunity can hopefully be achieved. I need to go ahead and get vaccinated. Broughton said, Pods are already popping up spontaneously that bring people with lower risk for COVID-19 together. PFLEGER: Fleming is vaccinated himself. Some were even hospitalized. However, some Catholic prelates and evangelical pastors have been sharply critical of the the vaccine campaign and masking mandates, and others have shied away from addressing those issues for fear of angering some congregation members. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) After more than a year of attending church virtually, Monique Allen has struggled to explain to her asthmatic daughter why people from their congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dont wear masks. Here are the facts: There is no scientific evidence that root canals cause heart attacks; the false claim stems from 1920s research that has been disproved through controlled research studies. Nov. 7 First of two Luz de Las Naciones virtual programs this season is streamed online (the other will be Dec. 19). During this transition period in the US, how should church leaders decide on in-person gatherings for their churches? Church leaders can set an example to their congregations by getting vaccinated themselves. As COVID-19 cases surge in the Bible Belt, many preachers stay silent on vaccination. March 14 President Nelson shares message of hope on social media channels. Dec. 30 Provo MTC implements additional COVID-19 protocols after 91 of 588 missionaries test positive. Because vaccination will proceed at different rates in different communities and vaccination of church congregants will vary even among churches within the same community, there is no single approach to regathering. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. The project, completed in mid-2021, Second, fast-spreading variants of COVID-19 in different parts of the world appear to be 1070 percent more transmissible. Sept. 21 For the first time in 555 days, the Tabernacle Choir gathers for rehearsal. Members of the faith widely known as the Mormon church remain deeply divided on vaccines and mask-wearing despite consistent guidance from church leaders as the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus spreads. Social media users shared a range of false claims this week. [ This article is also available in The Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, Church History Library and Joseph Smith Memorial Building also reopen. March 5 Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Squares Heritage Tour postponed until 2022. It builds on the step-wise plan for church reopening that I wrote in an earlier CT article and provides thresholds of infection for the steps. At the same time, the US is experiencing the most tumultuous and divisive period in its recent history. Residents may go to vaccines.gov for information about where vaccine President Russell M. Nelson receives a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Salt Lake County Health Department in Salt Lake City on Jan. 19, 2021. There is a lot of distrust of the government, of science, and of COVID-19 vaccines. March 31 Church makes adjustments to the Vaccinations section of its General Handbook, encouraging members to safeguard themselves, their children and their communities through vaccination; Belize receives its largest number of COVID-19 vaccines to date as part of UNICEFs COVAX Facility. More than 50 congregants who attended a Sunday service got sick. Nov. 5-8 FamilySearch Geraes, a virtual family history event in Portuguese, is hosted in Brazil. April 25, 2023. The following timeline shows how the Church has responded and adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. March 6 Nonnative Korean missionaries return home; Seattle Washington Temple first in U.S. to close as Washington reports highest state death toll to date. He was one of eight senior church leaders who received a first dose of the vaccine that day, soon after it became available in Utah to those older than 70. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As in my previous CT articles on church gatherings during this pandemic, I have tried to discern Gods call for his church using two guideposts: biblical truths and scientific knowledge, both of which have been given by God. "The COVID-19 vaccine or any vaccines have nothing to do with any of this." Jan. 8 Elder Ulisses Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, tested positive for COVID-19 during holiday break, according to a Church statement. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. Just 3 percent of all Covid-19 vaccine doses delivered in 2021 went to Africa, home to a fifth of the worlds population, according to the World Health Organization. The vaccine has been polarizing among the evangelical right-wing community. Some U.S. political leaders are encouraging people to consult their doctors about the vaccine for coronavirus. Explicitly stated or not, church leaders are balancing three factors when they consider church gathering during this pandemic: the need and desire of congregants to gather, the rate of COVID-19 infection in the community, and the risk of COVID-19 infection and complications among the churchs congregants. With approval from our physician, my wife, Wendy, and I were vaccinated today against COVID-19, he wrote. If members have concerns, they should counsel with competent medical professionals and also seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost.. The table below provides guidance on in-person activities that can start once the level of COVID-19 infection drops to certain thresholds. Some 22 months ago, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suspended Church gatherings worldwide on March 12, 2020, in response to growing restrictions related to COVID-19. About 65% of Latter-day Saints who responded to a recent survey said they were vaccine acceptors, meaning theyve gotten at least one dose or plan to soon. March 13 Church temporarily suspends proxy temple work worldwide; Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square cancels concerts and makes changes to broadcasts; RootsTech London postponed until fall 2021; Church closes all public areas in and around Temple Square. PFLEGER: Fleming says it's too divisive. A healthcare worker administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a resident living in the Jackson Heights neighborhood at St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church in Tampa, PFLEGER: When Greene first encountered Locke's sermons on Facebook over a year ago, she liked his preaching style. God, lead me. One U.S. Catholic leader, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, has said he opposes the use of any COVID-19 vaccine with any connection to aborted human LOCKE: Right now, they're trying to cover up a stolen election. 2023. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Feb. 12 Utah Area Presidency again updates COVID-19 safety measures with focus on Primary children, meetings and activities. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! Brand-new vaccines from polio to measles to Covid-19 are tested in large clinical trials that include placebo groups. At every threshold of infection in the above table, gatherings can be safer if we ask congregants to reduce their risk of exposure to the virus, and we encourage those with a lower risk of exposure to participate in activities sooner than those with a higher risk. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. May 6 President Nelson addresses reintegration of Church worship and activities in video on social media. Sept. 13 Pocatello Idaho Temple becomes the first to hold a public open house since the start of the pandemic. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 194.4 million flu vaccine doses were distributed during the 2020-2021 flu season. Died: Charles Stanley, In Touch Preacher Who Led with Stubborn Faith, 18 Christian Colleges Closed Since the Start of COVID-19, Steven Curtis Chapman Ranked Alongside George Strait and Madonna, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. April 25, 2023. In addition, the use of this assessment tool can help congregants form social bubbles to meet more safely with those who have a risk of exposure with which they are comfortable. The summaries at the right are from non-Quorum of the Twelve talks.. BRIDGEPORT Local religious institutions are helping to win the fight against COVID-19. Unfortunately, many of our Christian brothers and sisters living in low- and middle-income countries, where I have worked for more than 25 years to stop the spread of infectious diseases, will not receive vaccines until 2022 or later. Missionaries of the China Hong Kong Mission move their luggage toward the check-in counters at the airport as they evacuate due to growing coronavirus concerns, as shown in a photo courtesy of President Dennis L. Phillips. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. April 2 COVID-19 cases top 1 million people in 171 countries across six continents, death toll at least 51,000.
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