According to the guidelines set by the CDC. IDPH, and the ELCA, Redeemer's will be returning to all vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals over the age of 2 to wear a mask while in church. It is not what we all want to hear, but we do need to heed the recommendations by those who determine these guidelines. This will begin this Sunday, August 29.We recommend masks for all people when indoors, regardless of vaccination status. We strongly recommend masks for all when your county is at “substantial” or “high” risk.
As noted above, while fully vaccinated people are less likely to be infected with COVID-19 or develop symptoms, you can still be infected with the Delta variant and spread it to others. Vaccinated individuals can transmit the virus with a similar viral load when infected. This poses a heightened risk to caretakers of children and the immunocompromised.
Many settings that include a mixture of individuals with varied vaccination statuses require all individuals to mask, regardless of vaccination status. These settings include public transportation and now, schools. Congregations are similar to schools and public transportation in regards to the mixture of a diverse group of people that include children who cannot be vaccinated and the immunocompromised who even if vaccinated may be more susceptible to infection.