RESOURCE: PDF Slides from “Novel Coronavirus Faith Leaders Roundtable” Webinar on March 18, 2020

View and download a PDF version of the slideshow here: Faith Based Roundtable – Coronavirus Response

After communication with our content team, we offer the update below to the question about visiting older adults. There is also some concern about conducting weddings of any kind and we will be in touch about that as soon as we get clear communication for you.

Please let us know via email here if you have further questions and we will get them to our content team or our CDC partners, as appropriate. Please note that we plan to consolidate questions for the CDC before sending them along to help us avoid overwhelming them.

Updated Guidance from King County Public Health: How Can Faith Leaders Support Older Adults?

While we are asking older adults over age 60 to avoid large gatherings such as church services, we also recognize that they may be in need of social and emotional support during these times. At this point in the outbreak, we do not generally recommend visiting elderly individuals in their homes, as this could expose the individual to disease. When possible, provide support over the phone, text, correspondence, or video calls. Check-in on older adults frequently to see how they’re doing and if they need help, like dropping off food or groceries.

However, we recognize that at certain critical moments, it may be necessary for clergy to visit someone. If that is the case, we recommend following the best public health practices such as making sure you don’t have any symptoms of illness, avoiding touching (keep six feet away as much as possible), and washing hands prior to meeting them. Find other ways of greeting that don’t involve handshaking or hugging.

Information provided by:

Candace Jackson (She/Her)
Educator Consultant III
Public Health-Seattle & King County

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