The Virginia governor put into place new requirements per amendments to several executive orders regarding gatherings. After reviewing the mandates and confirming with the governor’s office, the new executive order states that “individuals may attend religious services of more than 25 people subject to the following requirements:
- Individuals attending religious services must be at least six feet apart when seated and must practice proper physical distancing at all times. Family members, as defined below, may be seated together.
- Mark seating and common areas where attendees may congregate in six-foot increments to maintain physical distancing between persons who are not Family members.
- Any items used to distribute food or beverages must be disposable, used only once and discarded.
- Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently-contacted surfaces must be conducted prior to and following any religious service.
- Post signage at the entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19 is permitted to participate in the religious service.
- Post signage to provide public health reminders regarding physical distancing, gatherings, options for high risk individuals, and staying home if sick.
- Individuals attending religious services must wear cloth face coverings in accordance with Amended Executive Order 63, Order of Public Health Emergency Five.
- If religious services cannot be conducted in compliance with the above requirements, they must not be held in-person.” (6th Amended Executive Order 67)
It is important to note that this new executive order does not require any changes for churches except to re-emphasize the mask mandate. If you have any questions about this update or would like to discuss how this order affects your church or ministry, please contact us at 888-233-6255 or by email at info@ncll.org.
