As places of worship begin to reopen in the Commonwealth, a Virginia Tech professor says social distancing may not be enough for those wanting to sing with their congregation. A number of churches, temples and synagogues in Virginia have reopened their doors, but are operating at 50% capacity and cleaning the sanctuary between services.
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology Charlotte Baker says there are still concerns if congregants are singing, and spreading droplets to those 6 to 10 feet away.
“If you can sing with a mask on, do it," Baker said. "I know some people are saying it’s not comfortable. There’s a lot of different ways to try to wear a mask. There’s different types of masks. I know there some people that say it mutes your voice. You may just have to deal with that for a little while.”
Baker says she’s talked to some people who’ve attended drive-in services in the wake of the pandemic, saying while they miss the camaraderie, they can enjoy singing at a regular volume while safely in their car.
At the onset of the pandemic in early March, several members of a church choir in Washington State became ill with COVID-19 following a rehearsal, and two of them died.
“We’re talking about something that’s respiratory, it’s little droplets that are coming from your lungs," Baker said. "I mean, you’re belting it out. It’s really easy for you to spread it and share it with other people, even within 6 to 10 feet of you.”
According the Washington Post and NPR, the Trump Administration recently removed warnings posted by the Centers for Disease Control about singing in houses of worship, asking that religious communities “consider suspending or at least decreasing use of musical ensembles and congregant singing.”
Radio IQ is a service of Virginia Tech.
