New Delhi, March 17, 2020: Caritas India plans to set up an emergency task force to meet the coronavirus epidemic spreading across the country.
The social action wing of the Catholic bishops in India also plans to hold an emergency meeting at the national level to evaluate the situation and plan the next course of action, says its executive director Father Paul Moonjely.
Caritas India is already involved in the coronavirus emergency. “We are going to reach out to isolated communities and support them,” Father Moonjely explained to asianews.it.
As part of its strategy, the Catholic charity’s public relations and communications manager Patrick Hansda issued an advisory for all the staff, partners and beneficiaries, urging them to follow prevention instructions to reduce the risk of contagion.
Meanwhile, the outbreak continues to progress across the country. A 64-year-old man died in Mumbai on March 17, taking the number of coronavirus-linked deaths in the country to three. The total number of infected people has reached 142, including the first positive case in West Bengal.
The government has stopped incoming travel from the European Union, Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan. As the questions over the lack of mass testing grows louder, the Indian Council of Medical Research said they are working on the inclusion of private laboratories in the testing process and considering the possibility of testing people who have no travel history, reports ndtv.com.
Father Moonjely said Caritas India is concerned about public health and looks at the health situation within its Lent “campaign against hunger and disease” so as “to build the resilience of the community and support its partners in tackling the pandemic.”
Caritas is not alone in this battle. Other Church organizations are also involved, calling on their members to respect the basic rules that prevent contagion, such as frequently washing their hands and avoiding the sign of peace.
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman responded to a message by Card Oswald Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) by issuing instructions on what to do during religious services.
Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao of Goa urges the faithful not to kiss the crucifix and priests to rub their hands with sanitizing gel before placing the hosts in the faithful’s hand.
On Good Friday, “blessing with the raised cross will be adequate. Those who wish can line up, bow and leave.”
If anyone comes into contact with infected people, they should “be asked not to come to public services for at least two weeks.” The directive will remain in force until Easter Sunday, April 12.
On March 14, Goa ordered the closure of schools, cinemas, bars, restaurants, swimming pools and casinos.
Last week, the north-eastern state of Mizoram closed its borders with other Indian states as well as neighboring countries (Bangladesh and Myanmar).
The Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, which includes 15 Protestant Churches, has given its blessing to the state’s decision, asking its members to respect the rules, and calling for “God’s intervention so that the State remains safe from the coronavirus and the global pandemic is contained.”
Source: asianews.it.