COVID expert Dr. Anthony Fauci announced that singing in churches and other houses of worship will most likely be permitted again in Autumn provided that the government vaccinates the majority of Americans “appropriately, effectively, and efficiently.”
During an online discussion, Choose Healthy Life Black Clergy Conclave, Fauci made the remark after a cleric asked him about the future of church activities now that a vaccine against COVID-19 is available, reports Premier Christian News.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said once 75 to 80 percent of Americans are vaccinated, churches can resume normal operations. He explained that once a large portion of the population received the COVID-19 vaccine, “the level of virus in the community will be at such a low level that we will be able to really approach a degree of normality that’s similar, maybe not identical, but similar to where we were before all of this.”
Singing and playing of wind instruments have been banned in churches following an increase in COVID-19 cases in houses of worship. Churches in Germany were the first to prohibit group singing activities when it reopened after lockdown last year.
A study published in Oxford Academic said, “While social distancing is effective in normal social interactions, singing can produce a substantially larger number of respiratory droplets and aerosols than speaking, as it is louder and sustained for longer durations.”
In a press briefing on January 17, Fauci said President-elect Joe Biden aims to deliver 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine within his first 100 days in office, reports Channel News Asia.
He announced that two vaccines being developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are underway for FDA approval and would increase the pace of vaccinations.
“If we can get the overwhelming majority of the population vaccinated, we’d be in very good shape and could beat even the mutant,” he said.
Fauci assured that, “One thing that’s clear is that the issue of getting 100 million doses in the first 100 days is absolutely a doable thing. The feasibility of his goal is absolutely clear. There’s no doubt about that, (it) can be done.”
