By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Jan 24: Individuals who are not fully vaccinated and those with symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, or shortness of breath are not allowed to attend any religious gatherings in houses of worship.
According to the latest standard operating procedure (SOP) released by Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), those with chronic diseases and children under 12 are not encouraged to attend such gatherings.
Should there be children under the age of 12 in the congregations, they must be accompanied by an individual who has been fully vaccinated.
Attendees of religious gatherings should also avoid shaking hands or any physical contact while sharing common items such as books and stationery is also forbidden.
Apart from that, they must also observe the SOP, including keeping one metre apart, recording their attendance using the MySejahtera application or attendance book, wearing face masks and frequent usage of hand sanitisers.
Attendees for religious functions are also required to enter and exit houses of worship in an orderly manner. They must disperse immediately following the completion of the activity, which is either carried out inside or outside houses of worship.
Should food be served, it must be as packed meals, in a serving dome or buffet-style only.
Attendance capacity depends on the size of the room, taking into account the physical distancing of at least one meter that must be kept between attendants.
The same principle applies to last rites and funerals. — DayakDaily
