Covid-19 Curbs On Good Friday Celebrations: BMC Issues Fresh Guidelines

Bhubaneswar: Amidst surge in Covid-19 cases in Odisha, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued fresh guidelines for Good Friday to be celebrated tomorrow.

Earlier, the State government had stipulated restrictions on celebration of all kinds of religious festivals and functions.

The stipulations/restrictions mentioned in the official notification will be applicable fully within the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits.

Here are the restrictions issued by BMC:

1. Any kind of congregations for celebration of Good Friday in Public is not allowed within BMC area.
2. However, usual religious rituals for celebration of Good Friday in Church are allowed with a maximum number of 50 participants at one point of time. However, the ceiling of 50 participants is subject to adherence of social distancing and protocol of six feet among two persons. In case the size of the Church is such that 50 participants cannot maintain appropriate social distancing among themselves then that many participants are allowed so that they can maintain social distancing of six feet. The number of participants shall not go beyond 50 under any circumstances.
3. The church authorities are to ensure that all the participants wear face mask/face cover appropriately at all times.
4. The church authorities are also to ensure that there is provision of hand washing/hand sanitization at the entry point of the church for the participants.
5. Person having SARI/ILI like symptoms shall not be allowed inside the church.

6. Persons above the age of 65, persons with co-morbidities and children below 10 years of       age are advised not to attend the celebrations.

(Edited by Ramakant Biswas)