|
What Can Faith-based Communities Do Now?
The most important thing a faith-based community can do is to think about and discuss the possible impacts pandemic flu could have on them, and develop policies and procedures to respond. This can begin with leaders in the community developing policies that affect everyone. It should also include discussions within congregations about actions they should take as a group.
Group Services:
1. Large group meetings or religious services may be suspended for six to eight weeks. This suspension could occur up to three times over a twelve month period. Can other modalities (i.e., television, radio, internet) be used instead?
2. Physical contact such as hand shaking, hugging, etc. should be limited.
3. Masks and hand sanitizing equipment may need to be provided. Sneeze and cough precautions should be taught.
Financial Impact:
1. If group services are suspended, what will that mean for revenue collections?
2. If protective equipment is to be provided, how will it be funded?
3. If support systems (use of a church building to house and feed flu victims or displaced community members) are to be provided, how will they be funded?
Community Contact: 1. How will the community assure itself that all members have been contacted regularly? The use of phone trees can be especially important but require a coordinated effort. 2. Faith-based communities may provide a trusted source of accurate information on how to respond to symptoms and situations...whether to contact a personal physician, go to the emergency department, or watch for further symptoms. 3. Communication between faith-based communities can reassure that justice and fairness prevail. Mutual support and shared resources can also develop.
Spiritual Support:
What can be done for individuals, families, small groups and the whole faith-based community?
Counseling:
- Grief support, anxiety and anger management.
- Clergy should collaborate with mental health professionals. For some this will mean enlarging their network, for others this will mean saying "Hello, can we work together?" for the first time. Clergy without M.Div. (or equivalent education) and pastoral fellowship certification should refer to a pastoral counselor, LMSW (licensed master of social work), psychologist or psychiatrist when prayer and listening are not effective.
Outreach:
Contact and support of quarantined individuals/families, transportation to healthcare centers, feeding those who cannot feed themselves.
Questions to ask:
1. Are there parish nurses in the faith-based community, and what role would they take? Options could include: Reinforce the public health messages (such as routine precautions the public should take to prevent transmission of the virus; the symptoms that indicate the need for an emergency department visit versus a call to the family physician's office, versus home treatment; and over-the-counter medications that may be used).
2. Are there healthcare professionals in the faith-based community who would act as resources or volunteers during a pandemic influenza crisis? What role would they take?
3. Are there lay volunteers that would be willing to assist, and in what capacity?
4. Are there volunteers who would offer temporary housing for the sick?
5. If schools or services are suspended, are there volunteers to help with childcare?
6. If parents become ill, are there volunteers who would care for the well children of working parents?
7. Are there volunteers to provide ad hoc services such as preparing meals and taking meals to the sick? If the local "meals on wheels" program is suspended, are there volunteers who would identify these people and make arrangements for their meals?
8. Is there a phone tree or email list serve which acts as a 'hot line', how is it activated, and what is its purpose?
9. Is there redundancy in the role of volunteer leaders and volunteer workers in case critical volunteers cannot perform due to their own illness or that of their families?
10. What other ways can the faith-based community assist their larger community?
11. Has a dialogue been initiated regarding preventive health measures, such as:
- Suspension of shaking hands/hugging during worship services,
- Utilization of webinars instead of in-person services or meetings,
- Hand hygiene informational signs and strategic placement of alcohol-based hand sanitizers,
- Cough etiquette information distribution.
- Provide a list of resources
These ideas are suggestions for faith-based communities to consider. Distribution to the congregation of information, tailored to meet the specific needs of the community, can be used as a way to proactively set up a system that will minimize transition (passing the flu from person to person) of the influenza virus and assist in the physical and spiritual care of the congregation. | 
