What to do for Flu?
October 24, 2009
BY LORI VAN INGEN, Staff Writer
Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era
Many North Americans think they are immune from disasters, that our wealth and technology will protect us.
But it didn't protect us from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 or Hurricane Katrina in 2004, said Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service.
"Most people turn to the religious community and leaders in time of disasters. We need to prepare for the (H1N1 flu) pandemic, and faith groups are lagging behind," King told a small group of pastors at an H1N1 flu seminar Tuesday at Neffsville Mennonite Church.
What would you do if one-third of your congregation came down with H1N1 flu? What do you do if you and all of the pastoral team gets sick?
An emergency preparedness plan "forces us to think of different scenarios," King told the pastors. "It's true when disaster strikes, your brains can't be trusted to work the way they normally do. But your brains can go into autopilot with a plan."
But a pastor can't handle a pandemic alone, King said. Churches should appoint a crisis response team or task force as soon as possible. The task force should include a spiritual caregiver, worship committee member, health care professional, custodian or facilities trustee, finance person and communications officer.
The team should reach out to neighbors and coordinate resources, he said.
"Reach out to public health officials. Don't be an island. You don't have to write the book on it. Connect and monitor ongoing information," King said.
The team also should devise alternative worship styles. In case of a pandemic, it's not helpful if people congregate, he said. People may be asked to stay home, schools may close. Can you use a Web site or a podcast to hold services?
Pastors also should develop a personal plan and put together a "go" bag, including a congregational booklet of phone numbers.
When Katrina hit, church members were "scattered to the four winds, and pastors had no way of reaching them," King told the pastors.
The crisis response team should create a plan dealing not only with the congregation but also the local people. Be a ministry, not just self-preservation, he said.
"This is an immense opportunity for congregations to reach out with healing and hope. (There shouldn't be anyone asking) where was the church?" King said.
Stephanie Hoffman, director of quality improvement and risk management at Landis Homes, also spoke to the pastors.
She said that in light of the pandemic, churches should develop sick leave policies for personal illness or care of ill family members; consider cross-training staff to other roles; evaluate usual activities and practices that may encourage virus spread from person to person; and develop protocols for activation of their response plan.
More planning, Hoffman said, would include encouraging yearly vaccination for staff and persons served; evaluating access to mental health and social services during a pandemic; and identifying persons with special needs such as the elderly, disabled or those who speak limited English.
Churches also should work with local, state and federal public health departments and emergency responders to share plans and expectations; coordinate availability of medical services and treatment for their staff and persons served; and network with other churches and faith-based organizations in their area.
A few local pastors this week also described how their congregations are dealing with the H1N1 virus.
The Rev. Harry Jarrett of Neffsville Mennonite Church said the church's six-week health and healing series on the healing ministry of Jesus prompted the congregation to form a panel composed of six health care professionals to discuss social, economic, psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual healing.
Jarrett said the panel was talking about health care awareness when the H1N1 virus became a national concern, so the panel decided to host the H1N1 flu seminar.
The church also is now emphasizing washing hands with hand sanitizer and getting information to the congregation about the H1N1 virus.
Because the church doesn't have Communion weekly, it's not a big problem to hold off having it until after the flu season, he said.
"It would not shake anyone's world not to do it during flu season. It's not an issue for us," Jarrett said.
There is more of a problem with greeting each other, he said. Members have to be creative, like touching elbows, he said.
The Rev. Don Sharp of Stumptown Mennonite Church, Leola, said his congregation has just started to talk about what they can do to be proactive against H1N1 flu, but the only practical thing it has done is the basics, such as stocking up on its supply of hand sanitizer.
The Rev. Randy Riggs of First Presbyterian Church said his congregation had a bulletin insert a few weeks ago with information about the H1N1 virus and the vaccine.
The congregation also is now using a fist bump instead of a handshake to pass to the peace, Riggs said.
The Rev. Kent Kroehler of First United Methodist Church said his congregation isn't going to live with high fear about H1N1 flu, but will take a rational approach about what members can do to lessen the possibility of contracting it.
Kroehler's congregation is "listening and reading" to find out what is happening within the denomination and without and looking for suggestions on what to do.
Although some congregations are doing intinction -- in which the pastor dips the bread into the wine -- his congregation is not. It is having pew and rail Communion, serving members with individual cups and bread in this flu season.
Kroehler said they also were looking at suggestions on using antibacterials during high volume times, as well as systematically wiping down toys and door knobs with alcohol wipes.
Because children and youth are at high risk, the preschool teachers are taking extra precautions in washing hands and coughing into their elbows, he said.
The Rev. Allan Wolfe of San Juan Bautista Catholic Church said that as of last Sunday his parish has been following the guidelines approved by Harrisburg diocese Bishop Kevin Rhoades.
Those guidelines include suspension of the distribution of the Precious Blood -- what Catholics call the wine in Holy Communion -- and offering the exchange of the sign of peace without any physical contact.
The Harrisburg diocese also recommends that priests and deacons avoid unnecessary hand contact before and after Mass and that ministers of Holy Communion wash their hands before Mass begins or use an alcohol-based antibacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion.
"Because the Hispanic community tends to be more hospitable in expressing themselves," Wolfe said, his parish also has discontinued welcoming every parishioner because, just as with the sign of peace, "some are uncomfortable doing it given the increased risk."
lvaningen@lnpnews.com
© 2009 Lancaster Newspapers
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