NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The increased cases of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, have caused several churches to get creative with how they have service.
Crossroads Fellowship in Lebanon will have a "drive-in" style service for the next two weeks. This allows for people to come together and worship outside while practicing social distancing.
People will park their cars at a field near the church, they will stay in the car during service, and will listen to the message through the radio. Worship will start at 10 a.m. on Sundays and will last about an hour. People are encouraged to get to the church parking lot early so ushers can make sure their cars are parked reasonably. In April, they will reevaluate the status of the coronavirus and go from there.
In Davidson County, Mayor John Cooper has called for religious leaders to cancel services to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
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COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
