President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration is issuing guidance deeming places of worship essential during the coronavirus pandemic, calling on governors to reopen religious institutions for services. Trump threatened to override governors if their states did not follow the new federal recommendations. “Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics essential, but have left out churches and houses of worship. It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential,”
Trump said during his announcement at the White House.Trump said he was calling upon governors to “allow churches and places of worship to open right now.” “If there’s any question, they’re going to have to call me, but they’re not going to be successful in that call,” Trump added.
“The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors,” he continued.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released interim guidelines Friday for communities of faith that acknowledge “millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life” but also warn that “gatherings present a risk for increasing the spread of COVID-19.”
The guidelines encourage the use of cloth face coverings during services, limiting the size of gatherings, social distancing during services and suspending or decreasing choirs and singing in church since “singing may contribute to transmission of COVID-19, possibly through emission of aerosols,” the CDC says.
Source: CNN
