Swine ‘Flu New advice received 27th November 2009 – see foot of page
In the light of the recommendations issued 23rd July 2009 by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York (see below) that there should be a suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion, The Bishop of Ely has offered the following guidance to the Diocese in the interests of public health during the current phase of the H1N1 flu pandemic.
The Revd Michael Goater Emergency Planning Officer
As our diocesan guidelines advise, the responsible course of action which we have adopted in the Diocese is to take all reasonable precautions to limit the spread of the H1N1 virus. Because the progress of the infection in our diocese has been uneven, the nature of these precautions have properly been, and to an extent should remain, a matter of local discretion, having due regard to the advice of central authorities.
However, in deciding their local response to what is undoubtedly now a more rapid and widespread advance of the virus in our region, I am advising parishes today that they should weigh most seriously the Archbishops’ strong recommendation that from this Sunday (26 July 2009) those presiding at Holy Communion should suspend the administration of the chalice during this wave of the pandemic, having regard to the duty of care we owe to the neighbour in our congregations and communities.
Where parishes wish to continue to offer communion in both kinds, my advice is that from this Sunday (26 July 2009), the presiding minister – and s/he alone – should personally intinct all wafers before placing them in the hand of communicants, a practice which is widely observed in Anglican churches in Africa. I would strongly advise against placing the intincted wafer in the communicant’s mouth, since this risks the spread of infection.
As the diocesan guidelines remind us, our communicants need to be confident that the clergy and all assistant ministers have followed the guidance on hygiene in this, and, particularly, that ministers’ hands should have been washed with the appropriate alcohol-based rub before handling the elements and the vessels.
The diocesan guidelines also invite parishes to consider their practice when exchanging the peace. Again in the light of the Archbishops’ recommendations, I would urge now that very serious thought be given to the principle of social distancing in minimising the spread of infection by avoiding direct personal contact at the peace and at the church door.
I shall keep this advice under constant review and ask that you check regularly the guidelines on the diocesan website, which will be updated when required and as quickly as possible to take account of the changing situation.
Thank you to all of you whose ministry in these confused and troubled times is bringing the love and healing power of Christ to the people of our Diocese.
The Rt Revd Dr Anthony Russell
The Bishop of Ely
Swine Flu Guidelines (v8, updated 30th July)
The Church of England national website carries information that is being updated as the outbreak progresses:
Swine Flu: Archbishops’ latest advice on sharing of Communion
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have today (23rd July) written to Bishops in the Church of England recommending the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion.
The Archbishops’ letter follows advice from the Department of Health not to share “common vessels” for food or drink.
For those who wish still to offer both bread and wine, the Archbishops have recommended use of “personal intinction by the presiding minister” allowing the priest to dip communion wafers in the chalice before handing them out to communicants.
The full text of the letter follows:
The Feast of St Mary Magdalene
22nd July 2009
Dear Colleague,
It now seems right to offer guidance at a national level about how the Church of England’s worship might best take into account the interests of public health during the current phase of the swine flu pandemic.
The Department of Health have recently advised us that “in a pandemic it makes good sense to take precautions to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink”. In the light of this advice, we recommend those presiding at Holy Communion suspend the administration of the chalice during this wave of pandemic flu. For those who still wish to offer in both kinds, we recommend the practice whereby the presiding minister, whose hands should have been washed with the appropriate alcohol based rub before handling the elements and the vessels, personally intincts all wafers before placing them in the hands of communicants. This is a practice widely observed in Anglican churches throughout Africa. Communicants receiving in this way need to be confident that the clergy and all assistant ministers follow the relevant guidance on hygiene.
The Bishop of Ripon & Leeds circulated substantial guidance, including a summary of the government’s advice, with his letter of 23 June. Many of you have already issued local guidance based upon its content. We regard it as important that those presiding at Holy Communion are aware of this advice and of that contained in this letter. They should offer guidance to the congregation about appropriate precautions in receiving communion and exchanging the peace.
We shall keep this advice under review and will ensure that the detailed guidance provided on the Church of England website is kept up-to-date. In the meantime, wish to express our gratitude to you and those who share your ministry for the pastoral care and service offered at this time of national concern.
+Rowan Cantuar
+Sentamu Ebor
Feast of St Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts
16th September 2009
Dear Colleagues,
SWINE FLU: STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS TO THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
At the end of July the Department of Health advised us that the pandemic had reached the stage at which ‘it makes good sense to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink.’
In the light of this we felt it would be irresponsible not to alert parishes and dioceses to this advice, and to recommend the suspension of the administration of the chalice while the Department of Health information and advice remained as it was. To date the advice we have been given has not changed.
Of course national advice given by Archbishops is just that – advice – as indeed is any separate advice that Bishops may decide to give to parishes.
Judgments about the best course of action in particular contexts may vary, but it remains important
a) to encourage everyone to recognise that the Church has a responsibility to take public health considerations seriously, and
b) to ensure that communication around the Church is good so that we don’t appear to be at sixes and sevens, and
c) to remember that responsible practice in this area is not primarily about protecting ourselves, but about avoiding transmitting infection unwittingly to others.
We are keeping regular contact nationally with the Department of Health and all relevant information and advice will be passed on.
We have decided to review our own advice towards the end of October, in the light of the information, statistics, and guidance coming by then from the Department of Health. By that time the progress of the vaccination programme and the effects of schools and universities having started back will be assessed.
If at that stage the perceived risk is significantly lower than when we issued our advice at the end of July, then fresh guidelines will be given. We would urge patience and vigilance until we have reached that point.
+ Rowan Cantuar + Sentamu Ebor:
New advice received 27th November 2009
Dear Bishop,
In July,during the first wave of the Swine Flu pandemic we issued national advice with regard to the administration of Holy Communion.
This advice was based on information and guidance received from the Department of Health which was geared to the situation at that time and the projected levels of risk suggested by the potential course of the pandemic. Since then the scientific understanding of the Swine Flu virus has advanced, further experience of the course of the epidemic has been gained, and the first stage of a vaccination programme, targeted at those most at risk from the virus, is nearing completion.
Throughout this period, our advice has been driven by the interests of public health, particularly for the protection of the vulnerable.
In the light of continuing consultation with the Department of Health, and with updated information on the course of the Swine Flu pandemic, we believe that we can now advise that the normal administration of Holy Communion ought to resume. This recommendation is subject to the guidelines issued in June (http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/swineflu/communion.doc) which set out good hygiene practice for public worship and which allows for local discretion in the event of outbreaks of pandemic flu in particular centres of population. We shall also continue to monitor the situation.
We wish to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this challenging period for both Church and Community. We are thankful that the pandemic has so far proved less severe than was feared.
Please pass this on to your colleagues in the diocese.
With every blessing,
+Rowan Cantuar +Sentamu Ebor
Please note the following announcement from Michael Goater Bishop’s Adviser for Emergency Planning. He advises reading the details carefully as there are some important caveats:
In the light of continuing consultation with the Department of Health, and with updated information on the course of the Swine Flu pandemic, the Archbishops have advised us that the normal administration of Holy Communion SHOULD RESUME.
HOWEVER -
1. The Archbishops will continue to monitor the situation closely.
2. The pandemic alert level remains high. It is crucial that good hygiene continues. Specifically
a. in respect of the bread -
· communion should not be given on the tongue;
· care should be taken to ensure that the fingers of the person distributing the sacrament do not come into contact with the communicants’ hands;
· high standards of hand hygiene should be maintained with soap and water or handrubs;
b. in respect of the wine -
· intinction by the communicant should be discouraged, and is an undesirable practice even by Eucharistic ministers, since the Department of Health advise that the practice may present a greater risk factor than the common cup;
· the use of individual communion cups is not lawful in the Church of England;
· a chalice of gold, silver or other metal should be used rather than of pottery, and especially of unglazed pottery;
· the rim of the chalice should be firmly wiped with a purificator after each communicant;
· the same part of the purificator should not be used repeatedly, nor should it be allowed to become sodden;
· in addition to ritual ablutions, the chalice should be thoroughly cleaned after use.
3. Local discretion should be observed where there is continuing concern about the incidence of swine flu in the community.
4. Communicants should feel free to choose to receive communion in one kind only. While communion in both kinds is the norm in the Church of England, in faithfulness to Christ’s institution, when it is received faithfully only in one kind the fullness of the Sacrament is received none the less.
It is important to remember that, while the common cup may now represent a minimal risk for healthy adults, the evidence regarding the link between a shared chalice and transmission of disease is mixed and suggests that for those whose immune systems have been compromised a notable hazard may still be present. Neither the alcoholic content of wine nor the antiseptic qualities of noble metals provide protection against the flu virus, which can survive for a significant period outside a host body.
Communicants who have been identified by the Department of Health as being at increased risk from contracting the swine flu virus will need to consider whether they should return yet to their former Eucharistic practice.
The Archbishops conclude their communiqué by thanking us for our patience and cooperation during this recent challenging period. The text of their letter is on the Church of England website.
Bishop Anthony commends the Archbishops’ advice to the Diocese and urges the importance of continued vigilance and safe practice. He joins the Archbishops in thanking everyone for their patience and cooperation in the difficult months since Easter.
The Diocesan guidelines (see the Diocesan web site) will be amended.
Michael Goater
Bishop’s Adviser for Emergency Planning
27.11.09
