Flu in the pew
Houses of worship, faith-based schools change routine to avoid spread of virus.
The Rev. Mark Story typically gives a hearty handshake to each student of St. Mary’s Episcopal School as they file out of weekly chapel services, but lately he’s been doing something different.
Story, rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church of Edmond, said he currently gives elbow bumps to the students instead of handshakes to lessen the chance of spreading the flu virus during a particularly nasty flu season.
“I normally shake the hand of every child as they leave chapel. I like shaking hands because we teach the children to stand straight and look me in the eye, as well as employing a firm grip,” Story said. “We are now doing elbow bumps. We caved into the cultural pressure!” The clergy leader and school are among several local congregations and faith-based schools that have
changed their routines to avoid the spread of the flu virus as flu season continues.
In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said the peak of flu season has occurred anywhere from late November through March. Leaders with the Oklahoma Health Department have said the flu season runs until the third week of May.
The current flu season seems to have caused more widespread concern because of its deadliness and the way it has become rampant in certain parts of the state and nation. Several schools across the state temporarily closed their doors as the virus spread.
According to a March 1 report from the state Health Department, a statewide total of 194 people had died from flu complications and at least 4,100 had been hospitalized since the current flu season began in September 2017. The state surpassed the previous record, set last year, when 130 people died and 2,422 were hospitalized.
Leaders at the Health Department have urged individuals who haven’t had the flu shot to get one. Senior adults, young children, pregnant women and people with chronic conditions are more vulnerable to the flu, though healthy people also can develop complications. Beyond getting the shot, the department has offered several tips to reduce the odds of getting the flu, such as washing hands frequently, maintaining healthy habits and trying to avoid sick people.
Some churches and private Christian schools have made changes to their traditional practices, which include drinking from a communal cup during Holy Eucharist or Communion.
Laura Gallagher, principal of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, 925 S Boulevard in Edmond, said she asked the Rev. Ray Ackerman to allow students at the school to forgo drinking from the cup during the school’s weekly Mass. The school is affiliated with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, where Ackerman is pastor.
Ackerman said he had no problem agreeing to her request because he knew it was made out of genuine concern and desire to protect the school’s students. Thursday, Gallagher said the school has continued to follow the new routine because flu season is not yet over.
Meanwhile, a Tulsa church, Church of the St. Mary Catholic Church, 1347 E 49th Place, introduced what it called “cold and flu protocols” to combat the spread of the flu. According to the church’s website, the church changed its procedures regarding the use of a common cup, much like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Under the new routine, church members forgo use of a common cup, forgo shaking hands unless it’s between family members and eliminate shaking hands during a portion of the Mass in which church members typically do so.
Story, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, said although he changed his routine at the school affiliated with his Edmond church, he did not enact any new protocols for his congregation.
“Our chalice bearers always use hand sanitizer before they hand a chalice. I haven’t noticed any change in how people receive communion,” Story said.
It’s OK to stay home
The Rev. Don Wolf, pastor of St. Eugene Catholic Church, said the current flu season has had a noteworthy impact on the church at 2400 W Hefner Road, and its affiliate school.
“We at St. Eugene’s have seen a lot of the flu. We took a ‘snow day’ several weeks ago in the school because we had so many kids out with it. But the worse part was that we had so many teachers ill; we just couldn’t keep going without a bit of a break,” Wolf said.
Wolf said he heard of many people in the parish who have been at home ill with the flu or who missed work because of it. He said the church continues to offer the common chalice at Mass, but if anyone is hesitant about receiving from it, they can choose not to.
All of the church’s communion ministers use hand sanitizer before distributing communion, Wolf said, something they do all the time.
Hand sanitizer is also a common fixture at the Rev. Rick Stansberry’s church in Nichols Hills.
In 2009, Christ the King Catholic Church, where Stansberry serves as pastor, placed mini bottles of hand sanitizer in the church pews out of concern for a deadly strain of the swine flu that raged in 2009.
Recently, Stansberry said his church continued to supply the sanitizer for the pews so they didn’t have to do anything different for the current flu season.
Other clergy leaders said they have simply made it clear to church members that they should not come to church if they are ill.
“We remind folks to wash up — but most importantly, DO NOT come to church if you are sick!” said the Rev. Chris Shorow, senior minister of First Christian Church of Edmond. “We have two folks who are going through chemotherapy and cannot be sick, so they wear masks in the service, and sit in the back for an early exit.”
Becky Wilkinson, Oklahoma City coordinating council public affairs director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said a trio of the church’s leaders sent an email out to congregations in the region in January that included advice for the flu season.
“If you or a family member are ill, have been diagnosed with or suspect you have the flu, please stay home and do not expose other members to illness,” the letter said.
Wilkinson said she was grateful for the note reminding church members that “not only is it OK to stay home when you are sick, but also necessary.
“I believe that people of all faiths tend to feel a strong devotion to their churches and derive comfort from attending worship services. Sometimes this makes it difficult to make the choice to stay home, but we have a responsibility to take care of our bodies and allow them to heal,” she said. “We also need to show respect for others by not spreading germs.”