Anglican Church suspends handshakes during service over Coronavirus

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in an effort to check the spread of coronavirus has banned handshakes during services and programmes.

In a statement by Gershinen Dajur, its general secretary, on Thursday, the Church also asked that the practice of sharing one chalice during “holy communion” should be put on hold to reduce the risk of infection.

According to Dajur, the Church leadership has also directed that water and soap for washing of hands as well as hand sanitisers should be made available during services or events.

The statement read, “Let the church be encouraged to trust God who is well able to help us in our times of trouble (Psa. 46:1). This is the time to trust and obey God than to be anxious and panic (Phil 4:6-7).”

“Since this virus is communicable, the church is to prayerfully put on hold the sharing of one chalice to all during Holy Communion. Other smaller communion cups should be used for individual communication.

“Also, handshakes and hugs during the exchange of peace should be substituted with non-contagious gestures such as hand waving, mutual bowing, or making the sign of the cross, etc.

“Let everyone be encouraged to observe a good personal hygiene through proper washing of hands with soap or hand sanitizer; covering of mouth with handkerchief when sneezing or coughing etc.“

The church added that while appropriate measures should be taken at all times, the faithful must not “oversimplify, underrate, overrate, overreact or over spiritualise” the issue of the virus.

Nigeria currently has two cases of the Coronavirus which killed thousands of people across the globe.