The Health Protection Surveillance Centre have outlined new guidelines in regards how religious services should be carried out this Christmas.
According to the new guidelines, religious services such as mass should last no longer than an hour, whilst the singing of hymns or carols should be prohibited in order to stem the spread of Covid-19.
The guidelines also suggest that people attending public religious gatherings such as mass should wear face coverings and maintain social distancing at all times.
Although pipe organs can be played during sermons, instruments that require people to blow into them should not be used.
The HPSC also say collection boxes cannot be passed around during services and people are being urged not to shake hands or to gathering outside churches, mosques, temples or synagogues once a service has finished.
They are also being advised to bring their own religious material such as bibles to the service, whilst the practice of Holy Communion will see the communion wafer being place in a person’s hands rather than their tongue.
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