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More people can attend religious services, weddings and funerals in NSW from Monday but worshippers will be asked to maintain social distancing and changes to communal practices will be required.
On Friday morning, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said from Monday, up to 20 people could go to weddings, 50 to funerals and 50 to places of worship, subject to the four-square- metre rule.
"We know how important these services are to individuals and families but as we ease restrictions further, we must remember to keep one another safe," she said.
"It is crucial that worshippers remember to follow health advice. This is particularly important for people with comorbidity aged over 50 and people aged over 70."
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said extensive COVID-19 outbreaks in places of worship and in choirs overseas highlighted why the NSW government had been cautious in easing restrictions.
"Sadly, we have seen many congregations of different faiths and denominations affected by COVID-19 overseas," he said. "NSW Health has developed a checklist to help places of worship create a tailored COVID-19 safety plan to ensure they can keep participants as safe as possible.
"These safety plans cover topics such as physical-distancing measures, hand hygiene and extensive cleaning measures. It is also vital that people who are unwell stay at home."
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said while people would be familiar with many general measures in the plan, others were more specific to places of worship.
"Places of worship will be asked to find alternatives to practices that might spread the virus like singing, sharing books and even passing around the collection plate to reduce infection risks," she said.
"Communal singing and chanting should not occur because of the high risk of transmission of the virus. Instead, measures such as one singer standing at least three metres away from others would be safer."
Further information is available at nsw.gov.au/covid-19.
THURSDAY
Dubbo's 800-seat St Brigid's Catholic Church could hold about 250 parishioners under current social distancing rules, says parish priest Fr Greg Kennedy.
But St Brigid's, like all churches, temples and mosques in NSW, is unable to seat more than 10 people, despite restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs being able to serve up to 50 as of June 1.
Fr Kennedy is supporting Catholic Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna's call on Thursday for churches to be included in the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
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"People are saying to us if they can have 50 there why can't 50 of us come to church," the parish priest said.
"That seems only logical to me."
Fr Kennedy said the 10 parishioners cap was impacting the spiritual well-being of some Catholics in Dubbo, particularly elderly people without access to the internet.
Sunday mass at St Brigid's continues to be live streamed and 15 masses are celebrated in Dubbo weekly, with bookings required.
Parishioners sign in on arrival, use hand sanitiser, observe social distancing and clean their seats at the end of the mass.
Fr Kennedy is optimistic the state government will soon allow more people into churches, calling its silence "an oversight".
..if it's safe to have 50 people in a pub, it's surely safe to have that number in a church. I've spent time in both, so I speak from experience.
- Catholic Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna
Bishop McKenna believes churchgoers will not be forgotten.
"Church services are truly an essential service," he said.
Catholic bishops have written to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, outlining a plan to safely reopen churches for worship.
"It has been great to begin this with congregations of 10, and priests and parishioners have worked hard to follow all the rules necessary," Bishop McKenna said.
"However, if it's safe to have 50 people in a pub, it's surely safe to have that number in a church.
"I've spent time in both, so I speak from experience."
Fr Kennedy has told of calculations on seating of parishioners at St Brigid's in line with social distancing.
"We figured out if we used every second pew and left 1.5 metres between non-family members, we would be able to seat probably 250 people," he said.