Page overview

The guidance and information on this webpage have been updated to reflect the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and the shift towards a largely ‘business as usual’ approach to church operations.

Summary of eased restrictions

Cleaning
Communion
Contact tracing (Check In Qld app)
Face masks
Food and drink
Hygiene
Leaving isolation and returning to work
Managing COVID-19 cases in parish settings
Occupant density
Risk mitigation
Vaccinations

Cleaning

The Anglican Church Southern Queensland recommends that churches follow the COVID-19 cleaning guidelines provided by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. These guidelines recommend ‘routine cleaning’, as detailed below.

Routine cleaning

Routine cleaning involves cleaning an area at least daily, whenever that area is used (for example, if the church is not used for three days and then used for multiples services on the fourth day, then the church is only required to be cleaned at the end of the fourth day).
Cleaning should be carried out in all areas that have been accessed by people, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned. This includes door handles, tabletops, kitchen bench tops, tea and coffee stations, welcome stations, bathroom fixtures, and toilets.
Consideration should be given to cleaning hard-surface chairs or hard-surface floors if these surfaces have been frequently touched or have had frequent traffic.
Surfaces may be cleaned using detergent and water.

Carrying out a risk assessment can help determine how frequently cleaning should occur in a parish. For assistance with risk assessments, please contact the ACSQ Work Health and Safety Advisor on 3835 2315 or whs@anglicanchurchsq.org.au.

Cleaning requirements following a confirmed case of COVID-19

Areas of the church that have been used by a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection should be cleaned and disinfected. The person cleaning the area should wear disposable gloves and other personal protective equipment. Further information about disinfectants and cleaning equipment is available on the Queensland Health webpage, COVID-19 cleaning, disinfection and waste management.

The whole premises may need to be cleaned, or only specific areas, depending on the areas that have been exposed.

A deep clean is not necessary and you need not wait for confirmation from Queensland Health before reopening the area/premises after the clean.

Further information

For further information about cleaning and COVID-19, please:

refer to the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland guide, Work health and safety during COVID-19.
contact the Work Health and Safety Advisor, on 3835 2315 or whs@anglicanchurchsq.org.au.

Communion

Reintroduction of the common cup at the eucharist is permitted from 1 am, Thursday 14 April 2022.

Reintroduction of the common cup is a decision to be made at the parish level.

The following risk mitigation strategies should be employed when reintroducing the common cup:

Communicants and liturgical assistants using sanitizer before and after communion.
Wiping the rim of the chalice inside and out with a clean part of the purificator between each communicant (preferably with a linen cloth).
Proper cleansing of linens (purificators, corporals) and vessels (flagons, cruets, chalices, ciboria, patens lavabos etc.) before and after Holy Communion;
Physical distancing while participating in Holy Communion.
Those ministering the chalice to wear good quality masks to reduce their risk of infection.

CONTACT TRACING

Churches no longer need to display QR codes or require attendees to check in via the ‘Check in Qld’ app at services and other gatherings.

Face masks

Face masks are not required to be worn at church services/gatherings or in church offices/workplaces, except by people who:

Have a temperature equal to or higher than 37.5 degrees or any COVID-19 symptoms;
Are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 PCR test;
Have recently (in the past seven days) been released from isolation/quarantine; or
Are a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

Churches should maintain an environment where people feel comfortable to wear a face mask, if they prefer.

Under paragraph 24(b) of the Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No. 2), a person who is required to wear a face mask may remove their face mask if the nature of a person’s work or education means that clear enunciation or visibility of the mouth is essential. This could include those preaching, leading services or leading singing.

food and drink

There are no restrictions for serving food and drink at church gatherings and other events.

HYGIENE

Churches can foster good personal and hand hygiene by:

keeping hand hygiene facilities (clean running water, soap, and paper towels / air dryers) properly stocked and in good working order.
placing hand sanitiser in visible locations to encourage hand hygiene.
asking parishioners to be mindful of good personal and hand hygiene.

Leaving isolation and returning to work

The type and severity of symptoms are key factors in determining when a diagnosed person or a close contact may leave isolation.

The relevant paragraphs to consider from the Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No. 2) are outlined below.

The ACSQ has no additional guidelines/policy for clergy, staff or parishioners leaving isolation. The ACSQ’s advice is based solely off the advice in the Public Health Direction.

Diagnosed cases of COVID-19

Paragraph 13a – a diagnosed person may leave isolation 7 full days from the COVID-19 test date “if the person has no fever or acute respiratory symptoms”.
Schedule 2 – Definitions – “Acute respiratory symptoms include fever, sore throat, runny nose and a productive cough. Some people with COVID-19 experience ongoing symptoms including mild fatigue, mild dry cough or loss of taste or smell which are not acute respiratory symptoms”.
Paragraph 13b – “Note: a diagnosed person who has a mild ‘post viral’ cough after fever or acute respiratory symptoms have resolved, may leave isolation. The diagnosed person does not need to have another COVID-19 test before leaving isolation.”
Paragraph 16 – A diagnosed person who has been released from isolation must, for 7 full days from the end of isolation, wear a face mask when outside the home.
Paragraph 24(b) – A person may remove their face mask if the nature of a person’s work or education means that clear enunciation or visibility of the mouth is essential. This could include those preaching, leading services or leading singing.
Paragraph 17 – A diagnosed person who has been released from isolation must not, for 7 full days from the end of isolation, enter and remain in a vulnerable and high risk setting (this includes healthcare facilities, residential aged care facilities, shared disability accommodation services, and corrective services facilities. Churches are not considered to be a “vulnerable and high risk setting” under the definition in Schedule 2).

CLOSE CONTACTS OF PEOPLE Diagnosed WITH COVID-19

Paragraph 18 – A close contact who is released from quarantine must, for 7 full days from the COVID-19 test date, wear a face mask when outside the home (this includes when preaching or leading services/singing).
Paragraph 19 – A close contact who is released from quarantine must not, for 7 full days from the COVID-19 test date, enter and remain in a vulnerable and high risk setting (this includes healthcare facilities, residential aged care facilities, shared disability accommodation services, and corrective services facilities. Churches are not considered to be a “vulnerable and high risk setting” under the definition in Schedule 2).
Paragraph 28 – A close contact may enter and remain at a vulnerable or high-risk setting as a visitor for an exceptional and compassionate circumstance.

Occupant density

There are no occupant density restrictions for church services and other activities, including worship services, funerals, weddings, youth and children’s ministry, parish pantries and op shops, events, and hall/building hires.

Risk MITIGATION

Parishes should employ the following baseline risk mitigation strategies/control measurers:

Advise parishioners/volunteers/workers to:
- stay at home when sick
- get tested if COVID-19 symptoms present
- maintain physical distancing (1.5m), where possible and practical
- wash hands often using soap and water or hand sanitiser
- sneeze or cough into their arm or a tissue (then put the tissue in the bin).
Encourage COVID-19 vaccinations, including third / fourth vaccination booster where eligible.

Parishes should consider applying additional risk mitigation strategies/control measurers to manage COVID-19 effectively depending on the local context, but proportionally where heightened risks necessitate it. These strategies/measurers may include:

Rapid Antigen Testing for workers/volunteers
P2/N95 standard mask wearing for vulnerable persons and/or in vulnerable settings.
Any other local level strategies.

Vaccinations

Vaccinated and unvaccinated people are permitted to attend church services and gatherings. Churches are not required to check the vaccination status of attendees.

Individual parishes may decide to make COVID-19 vaccination an entry requirement for any particular service or activity, and can determine how to verify the vaccination status of attendees (this could be via use of the Qld check in app and QR code system, or via some other means).

On 31 March 2022, Diocesan Council approved the replacement of the ACSQ COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement Policy with an enhanced Work Health and Safety Policy, which means that vaccination is no longer a requirement for ACSQ clergy, staff and volunteers. However, vaccinations remain crucial in protecting those most vulnerable in our churches and the broader community, reducing the risk of spread, hospitalisation and serious illness. The ACSQ strongly encourages COVID-19 vaccinations, including third / fourth vaccination booster where eligible.

Managing confirmed COVID-19 cases or close contacts in parish settings

The following actions are in line with the Management of Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Close Contacts Direction (No. 2).

ACTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS / LOCUMS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19

1. Isolate

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, you must immediately isolate for 7 full days from the COVID-19 test date.

2. Inform close contacts

A diagnosed person must inform their household members* and household-like contacts** that they are a confirmed case of COVID-19 and that each household member or household-like contact is considered a close contact. Close contacts only need to get tested and isolate if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

*A household member is a person who ordinarily resides at the same premises or place of accommodation as the diagnosed person, and who are residing at the premises or place of accommodation at the time the diagnosed person receives their positive COVID-19 test result. You do not have to be related to the diagnosed person to be considered a household member.

**A household-like contact is a person who has spent more than four hours with the diagnosed person in a house or other place of accommodation, care facility or similar.

3. Notify the Regional Bishop / Churchwardens / parish community

Parish Priests / Locums are asked to notify their Regional Bishop if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 so that the Bishop may assist them and their community.

Discuss with the Churchwardens how (and if) ministry activities, including worship, might proceed during your isolation.

Consider notifying the parish community to let them know of alternative arrangements to services and ministry that will be in place as a result of the Parish Priest / Locum being in isolation.

4. Determine when to come out of isolation

The type and severity of symptoms are key factors in determining when to come out of isolation after the 7 day isolation period has passed.

See leaving isolation and returning to work for further details and post-isolation requirements.

ACTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS / LOCUMS WHO ARE CLOSE CONTACTS OF SOMEONE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19

Close contacts:

Only need to get tested if they have COVID-19 systems
Only need to isolate if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result.
Must wear a face mask when outside the home for 7 days from the COVID-19 test date (see face mask requirements for further details).

Must not enter or remain in a vulnerable or high-risk setting during the 7 days from the COVID-19 test date. While churches don’t meet the definition of a “vulnerable and high risk setting”, diagnosed clergy and church workers who are close contacts should be vigilant about following safety practices given the typical age profile of church congregations. This includes wearing a mask for 7 days when outside the home.

ACTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS / LOCUMS WHO ARE CLOSE CONTACTS OF SOMEONE AWAITING THE RESULTS OF A COVID-19 TEST

Parish Priests / Locums who are close contacts of someone awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test are not required to isolate and may continue ministry in person while the person who has been tested awaits their result. However, the Parish Priest / Locum should monitor for symptoms and, if symptoms occur, get tested and isolate.

ACTIONS FOR WHEN A PARISHIONER IS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19

There is no action required in this situation. A person who has attended a parish service, event or activity where a person with COVID-19 was present is not considered a close contact and does not have to get tested or isolate (unless the person is a household member or household-like contact of the person diagnosed with COVID-19).

ACTIONS FOR WHEN A PARISH STAFF MEMBER IS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19