Preparing our church

[MomM]

I'm one of the liason people for our church with our local health dept- pandemic flu planning. We are so thankful that we have been using the guidelines given by the health dept to set up protocols for our parish. We have a parish nurse and she has already given the church office a bulletin article for this coming Sunday's bulletin; she has given our webmaster several pages of info to be placed on the church's website; she is going to get ahold of the coordinator for Eucharistic ministers to have her remind all the ministers to use the hand sanitizer before and after communion; (we also have hand sanitizer in the back of the church for the congregation; she is trying to make contact with our health dept for more advice (she had to go through a number of phone calls to find the right person/dept and hopes to make contact today; and she and I are sending emails back and forth with ideas of what to do next. (DH and I are up in VA babysitting grandchildren while DD and DSIL are in Calif- they'll be back Sat. night). Up here, I've made sure DGD has purell in her lunch box and uses it before eating lunch, and of course lots of handwashing. Yesterday DH and I and the 3 yr old DGS went to the Commissary and I made sure to wipe down the cart for DGS. I'm planning on keeping the kids out of crowds and close to home. If things go as planned, we should be back home Sunday evening, and I hope to start canning on Monday (more chicken soup, etc).

[Teaberry]

That is great that you're involved helping your church that way. Personally, I always dread going to church during the prime flu season starting in January because with the hand shaking and sitting in close quarters, it's so easy for viruses to spread. Is your church asking people to stay home if they are sick or feeling under the weather? Also, is your church asking people to stay home if they even have a family member who is sick? I ask that because family members likely carry the virus before symptoms even appear.

 

 

[MomM]

During the flu season our pastor asked everyone to stay home if sick. I don't know what he will say now (since I 'm not there right now). If we do have to implement the pandemic plan, it calls for staggered Mass schedule with no more than 99 people present at a time, and each one keeping an arm's length away from each other; we will not do the sign of peace (where we shake each other's hands); and limit communion to only the host.

[westbrook]

start wearing gloves to church! hand shaking no longer becomes a problem. <smile>

 

Perhaps starting to bow or nodding head rather then hand shaking should become part of our custom rather then hand shaking, taking our lead from the Japanese.

[Teaberry]

Westie, that is such a great idea!

 

I'll give away my age, but I can remember women wearing gloves to church when I was a little kid. Frankly, I hate shaking hands with people. It's nasty when you consider that most of us have been taught to sneeze and cough into our hands. Lately, I'm seeing more and more people sneeze into the crook of their arm which is better.

 

Also, in the olden days men never initiated shaking hands with a female. The only way he'd shake hands with a female was if she extended her hand first. I'm a hand dodger. I've tried telling people, "You don't want to shake my hands because they're wet." But they still insist.

 

I prefer just saying hello to guys and giving warm hugs to my gal friends. That's not to say I have anything against men. I married one. But sheesh, I hate shaking hands with men.

 

 

 

Anyway, sorry if this is thread drift!! Westie got me started. I'm a bad durl.

 

 

[westbrook]

you are correct, proper protocol is for a woman to extend her hand to a man, not the other way around.

 

Gloves can be washed and wearing gloves to shop.. it is kind of cool.. get a little dressed up and put on gloves!

 

hats too but we are talking flu and not skin cancer!

 

I notice that more and more people at a checkout stand are wearing gloves, plastic but still gloves.

 

Cotton disposable gloves are cheap enough.. if you can get the to fit to some extent they will look nice.

 

anyway... church = gloves! shopping = gloves!

 

sort of solves several problems.

 

I like hugging too!

[Teaberry]

I like hugging too!

 

Okay then! Westie, make sure you're standing with both feet on the ground....okay? Here it comes!

 

 

Hold on.....everybody hug Westie!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Gloves for shopping, etc. That's a great idea. I may begin doing just that. Do you know where I can buy somewhat dressier gloves for summer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[westbrook]

I am going to be buying those disposable cotton gloves... taking my sewing machine out and putting a pintuck or two or 5 on the back

 

I will be adding a little ribbon or tiny buttons.

 

I have thought about dying some to match my dresses.

 

Leather in the winter but hard to disinfect.

 

 

 

spots tea.... runs real fast! arms open... opps sorry tea, let me help you up... brushes tea off..... Wink!

[Teaberry]

LOLOLOL!! Brushed off with a big grin.

 

Westie, I didn't even know they make disposable, but I googled and you're right. They even have them at Wallymart.

 

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6436315

 

I read on www.survivalblog.com that it's not a bad idea to get glasses with sides to protect the eyes in public too, since this thing is obviously going fullblown pandemic in no time flat. (WHO announced level 5 a bit ago.)

 

 

[westbrook]

eye protection is a must!

 

they make clear glass glasses!

 

keep a little hanky with you... cotton of course... mens hankerchef with a little lace sewn on to look 'pretty' also cotton and can be dyed.

 

keep held to your nose... tucked into glove <wink> am I dating myself?

 

this way you didn't have to wear a mask to church!