Heading to church? Archdiocese of Miami requiring masks for Mass again as COVID cases rise
The Archdiocese of Miami is now requiring everyone to wear a mask while attending Mass, as tens of thousands of new COVID cases are reported in Florida every day.
The change went into effect on Tuesday and affects all Mass and church gathering attendees, regardless of vaccination status, the Archdiocese said in a statement Wednesday.
The decision to once again require masks at the 109 parishes in the Archdiocese of Miami was made after seeing the proliferation of cases, said Mary Ross Agosta, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese.
“We need to be cautious and we need to be proactive,” she said, noting that proper social distancing is still recommended. “We believe that wearing a mask and social distancing can help prevent the spread.”
It wasn’t until the weekend of Nov. 5 that Archbishop Thomas Wenski told parishioners that they could go maskless if they were fully vaccinated.
Ross Agosta said they have not had any major outbreaks at any of the congregations, which “is even more of a reason to be proactive.”
“The bottom line is going to church is a choice,” Ross Agosta said. “If someone wants to come, they will have to wear a mask.”
She added that all congregations are still livestreaming Masses for those who don’t feel comfortable going in person.
The latest rule comes after the Archdiocese of Miami on Sunday changed its mask policy in its schools. In Archdiocese schools, students over 2 years old and staff have to wear masks, even if vaccinated or the parents want to opt out.
On Wednesday, Florida reported 59,487 new COVID-19 cases and one death to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since Dec. 20, Florida has seen newly reported cases over 10,000 continuously — with records being set most days of last week.
Hospitalizations have also been on the rise as 7,647 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 in Florida on Wednesday, taking up 14.06% of all inpatient beds.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 6:52 PM.
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