Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion

Social distancing measures implemented at a mosque in Malaysia during the movement control order

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted religion in various ways, including the cancellation of the worship services of various faiths and the closure of Sunday schools, as well as the cancellation of pilgrimages, ceremonies and festivals.[1] Many churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples have offered worship through livestream amidst the pandemic,[2] or held interactive sessions on Zoom.[3]

Relief wings of religious organisations have dispatched disinfection supplies, powered air-purifying respirators, face shields, gloves, coronavirus nucleic acid detection reagents, ventilators, patient monitors, syringe pumps, infusion pumps, and food to affected areas.[4] Other churches have offered free COVID-19 testing to the public.[5] Adherents of many religions have gathered together to pray for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, for those affected by it, as well as for wisdom for physicians and scientists to combat the disease.[6][7]

  1. ^ Burke, Daniel (14 March 2020). "What churches, mosques and temples are doing to fight the spread of coronavirus". CNN. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  2. ^ Parke, Caleb (13 March 2020). "Churches cancel Sunday service, move online amid coronavirus outbreak". Fox News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  3. ^ Torres-Pruñonosa, Jose; Plaza-Navas, Miquel-Angel; Brown, Silas (2022). "Jehovah's Witnesses' adoption of digitally-mediated services during Covid-19 pandemic". Cogent Social Sciences. 8 (1). doi:10.1080/23311886.2022.2071034. hdl:10261/268521.
  4. ^ "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference RFBF2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Sheva, Arutz (15 February 2020). "Thousands to pray at Western Wall for end to COVID-19 epidemic". Israel National News. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. ^ Solovy, Alden (27 February 2020). "Coronavirus: A Prayer for Medical Scientists". Union for Reform Judaism. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.