Home Visits can now take place by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and other volunteers.
- The minister to the sick or housebound person must take care to ensure that a minimum number of visits takes place to different homes in a single session of visiting.
- There are three important steps to avoid possible spread of the virus, especially if someone is infected but asymptomatic:
- It is recommended (outside hospital and hospice chaplaincies who have infection control in place) that only one morning and one afternoon visit is made in a day to minimise risk of infection.
- The use of regular freely available covid-19 home test kits is recommended for those doing pastoral visits, to ensure they are not potential vectors of infection to those who are sick and medically vulnerable. These can be obtained through www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site.
- Careful hand sanitisation and minimising of exposure times indoors are important considerations as well.
For St Bernard’s
- Keeping all these protocols in place.
- A card should be kept with details of visit giving contact details of person visited, including address, telephone and email. A copy of this should be given to the Clergy.
- Subsequent visits should be recorded
- If a person requires Sacraments please contact Father to make arrangements.
- Make sure you do not go house to house, visit when you can, but just make the ONE visit.
- Make sure you look after yourself, and keep to the social distance rules and the cleansing of hands etc.
- Your health Matters too.
- Visits to Nursing homes, rehabilitation places and hospitals will of course be subject to their protocols.
- If you are taking the Blessed Sacrament please make sure you take with you cleansing gel for your hands before and after.
- Share “the Church at Home” leaflet as part of the simple Liturgy.
- Do not stay too long