BALTIMORE — Mayor Brandon Scott, the Baltimore City Health Department, and Johns Hopkins University and Medicine announced a partnership that will advise churches on how to reopen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The partnership will involve two components: a virtual educational session and one-on-one guidance to help Baltimore faith institutions comply with the City’s public health mandates, learn about best practices, and receive resources.
“Ensuring the health and wellbeing of Baltimore residents is my top priority. This partnership with Johns Hopkins University and Medicine, one of the institutions leading the global COVID-19 response, is critical to ensuring our houses of worship have the information and resources needed to safely return to worship," said Mayor Scott. "We thank our faith institutions for continuing to find ways to worship safely during this pandemic."
The virtual informational session will include information about the latest CDC guidance, safety actions, health and hygiene practices, cleaning protocol, and guidance for monitoring the wellbeing of congregants. A date for the initial session is forthcoming.
Additionally, the Mayor’s Office, Baltimore City Health Department, and Johns Hopkins University and Medicine have established a pilot program to pair health professionals with faith institutions.
These health professionals will perform building walkthroughs and provide individualized guidance to interested houses of worship to support the development of health and safety protocol for congregants and staff.
