At the height of Australia’s Covid lockdowns, three Queensland Baptist pastors wrote the Ezekiel Declaration (ED), a petition which protested against vaccine passports and the prospect of vaccine status determining who could come to church.
The ED gained thousands of signatures and sparked debate among Christian communities. No one can predict what new variations the Covid virus may mutate into, but strict mandates seem unlikely at present.
The ED protest was aimed at protecting the rights of the unvaxxed to come to church. Today a different group needs help to come to church – those with compromised immune systems or who are otherwise in danger from covid.
A recent update from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) warned of an emerging surge of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariant infections. In addition to supporting booster shots, especially for those over 65, ATAGI said that the increased use of masks would minimise the impact of the surge, (and working from home and increasing the use of antiviral treatment in people diagnosed with COVID-19.)
“We know that wearing masks [does] reduce the spread and protects yourself and others,” Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told a press conference on July 19.
“If you’re away from home and indoors in a crowded place, I really very strongly suggest that you do wear masks … This will not be forever, but for the next few weeks this is the way we can actually influence the spread of the virus, protect vulnerable people in our community and also protect our healthcare systems.”
Church gatherings can be crowded – we want people there. Can I suggest that the Ezekiel Declaration urge its audience to mask up at church in order to reassure the vulnerable that all are welcome?
John Sandeman
Sources:
https://www.health.gov.au/news/atagi-update-following-weekly-covid-19-meeting-6-july-2022
The Ezekiel Declaration: https://caldronpool.com/ezekieldeclaration/
Excellent post, John.