In anticipation of the introduction of legislation relating to the use of face coverings in England, on 7th August the Church of England issued an interim update for ten items of its guidance, reviewed here. Following confirmation of government guidance, the advice documents listed below were published in finalized form on 10 August. These will continue to be updated to reflect future developments, and will be reported on L&RUK.

Updated Guidance

• Updated Face coverings document
• Updated Baptisms document
• Updated Weddings document
• Updated Funerals document
• Updated Holy Communion document
• Updated Confirmation services document
• Updated Ordinations and Consecrations document
• Updated Conducting public worship document
• Updated Individual private prayer document
• Updated Opening cathedral and church buildings to the public document

Comment

• Legislation on the wearing of face masks in England – The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/839, and Explanatory Memorandum, came into force on 8th August.
• MHCLG document, COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic, was last updated on 4 August.
• DHSC Guidance Face coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own, (updated on 7 August) has a non-exclusive list of scenarios of when one is permitted to remove a face covering, including those delivering a sermon or prayer in a place or worship and persons getting married in a relevant place.

The new Church of England guidance have been added to the Coronavirus updates – index and to New COVID-19 legislation and guidance: to 15 August.