Holy Week begins today with Palm Sunday. But Christians in Webster County may have to celebrate a little differently — and further away from each other — this year as the Webster County Health Department has laid out its recommendations to churches amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Heath Department is asking that churches refrain from holding any public or in-person worship services of 10 or more persons through April 30. That includes services in cemeteries or parking lots, even where people stay in their vehicles or at a safe distance. As announced on Friday, the city of Fort Dodge will not provide a special event permit.

“We understand that this is not ideal and not how many want to celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday, but we haven’t reached our peak yet,” said Kari Prescott, director of the Webster County Public Health Department. “We need people to take social distancing and stay-at-home recommendations seriously because we know there is community spread in Iowa.”

Prescott added, “There will be more cases. We are doing everything that we possibly can to keep this out of our nursing homes, hospitals, and even church families. We know that this is going to be different and difficult, but we want everyone to be here with us to celebrate Easter 2021.”

Dr. Kelli Wallace, medical director of Webster County Public Health, said by following the social distancing recommendations, the county can make a real impact slowing the spread and hopefully reducing the number of positive cases.

“This is our only opportunity to alter the local impact of this pandemic,” Wallace said. “These principles are not important just for the next 4 to 5 days but are critical over the next 4 to 5 weeks, at least.”

The Health Department advises churches to refrain from encouraging parishioners’ to drop by the church office, refrain from holding any drive-by types of events where people drive by to drop off their offering, to receive communion, to receive a bulletin or children’s ministry materials or to receive a blessing.

When recording church services, only members of the same family should be in the same room to record, according to the Health Department guidelines.

Multiple people gathering in the church to share equipment such as hand-held microphones is discouraged.

Church members should view services from their own homes, not in groups with other people, even if that number is lower than 10 because it increases exposures, according to the Health Department.

Clergy support are asked to:

• Encourage church members to watch services from their own homes.

• Encourage church members to get dressed in their Sunday best and watch from their homes.

• Encourage church members to sit outside of their own home and get fresh air.

• Encourage Skype, Face Time, DUO, ZOOM messaging with parishioners’ throughout the week.

• Continue to pray for the community.

The Webster County Health Department met virtually with clergy from throughout Webster County on Friday afternoon to discuss the recommendations.

“We are thankful to clergy throughout Webster County for sitting down with us and listening to our concerns and data about community spread of COVID-19,” said Kelli Bloomquist, public information officer for Webster County Public Health and Webster County Emergency Operations Center. “We are trying to protect our vulnerable, and our clergy also want to keep everyone safe while celebrating Holy Week and Easter in a way that is safe, though different because of the pandemic. We understand that this isn’t ideal, but we want to keep residents safe and to limit exposures as we know that we haven’t met our peak yet.”