key: cord-317080-kn56oov6
authors: Quadri, Sayed. A.
title: COVID-19 and Religious Congregations: Implications for Spread of Novel Pathogens
date: 2020-05-07
journal: Int J Infect Dis
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.007
sha: 
doc_id: 317080
cord_uid: kn56oov6

Abstract COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the world. One of the principle preventive strategies is practicing social distancing. Congregations of the faithful at local and transnational level are strongly recommended by several world religions and religious orders. Gathering of large number of people in close approximation could be a fertile ground for the spread of novel pathogens. The refusal to suspend such gatherings could lead to potential widespread dispersal of infections.

Currently the world is facing an unprecedented global medical emergency in modern history in 21 the form of COVID-19 pandemic. The virus seems to hold no bar and continue its march 22 relentlessly across the globe. COVID 19 is spread through droplet and basic reproduction rate, a 23 measure of transmissibility of the virus, ranges from 2.24 to 3.58 (Zhao et al., 2020) . Public 24 gatherings will evidently increase transmission and therefore social distancing was touted as the 25 foremost preventive strategy. 

 Suspension of communal gatherings must be promptly done as a preventive strategy 196 whenever novel pathogens emerge, in order to contain its spread.

 An international regime of containment measures with regards to suspension of religious 198 congregations during infectious disease outbreaks must be devised.

ISKCON reports 21 coronavirus cases, 5 deaths in UK, all had attended funeral 176 gathering

Ultra-Orthodox Jews hit disproportionately hard by Israel's coronavirus 180 outbreak

Preliminary estimation of the basic reproduction number of novel 185 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, from 2019 to 2020: A data-driven analysis in the 186 early phase of the outbreak