CHBC Response to COVID-19
***Please note, the information below was put together Tuesday, March 10. As of this morning there is new information that we are reading and taking under advisement. At this time, Wednesday evening activities TODAY (March 11) will go as planned, except youth activities will not take place. However, if you feel that you need to stay home, please do. We are in discussion regarding Sunday worship and other activities. We are aware of Governor Beshear's recommendation that churches cancel Sunday services. We will make a decision soon in regards to Sunday. See bottom of the letter for ways to keep up-to-date with CHBC activities and events.***
The staff at CHBC has been in numerous conversations with various church leaders, medical personnel, as well as reading and staying as up-to-date as possible regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. We are trying to make the best decisions for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our congregants, visitors, and staff. We have a team of medical professionals within the congregation that are researching and providing us guidelines and best practice recommendations.
As such, we have outlined certain safety precautions as well as what and who we are watching and how we will make decisions in the near future regarding events, conferences, gatherings, visits, etc. Please note, as information changes and new information becomes available, we will continue to update folks.
Above all, we want everyone to do what is safest. If you do not feel comfortable in large crowds or in close proximity to others, please, exercise your best judgment and stay home. We are aware that COVID-19 seems to effect older populations most as well as those with underlying medical conditions. Please do what you need to do to stay healthy.
General Information about COVID-19:
How is it spread?
· Coughing and sneezing
· Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
· Touching an object or surface with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
What are the symptoms?
· Fever
· Cough
· Difficulty breathing
· Shortness of breath
What can I do?
· Keep Informed - through reliable news sources such as the CDC (Center for Disease Control) www.cdc.gov/COVID19, WHO (World Health Organization) www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen. And see articles listed below.
· Self Monitor - be aware of signs of virus i.e. fever, cough, shortness of air and seek medical attention and/or assist those that may need help.
· Control Exposure – avoid crowds, avoid people who are sick, stay home if sick, avoid travel to restricted areas.
· Perform good Respiratory Etiquette – cover cough and sneezes, use tissue and dispose appropriately.
· Perform good Hand Hygiene – Wash with soap and water for 20 sec. or 60% alcohol based sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
· Provide routine Environmental Cleaning – frequent cleaning of highly touched surfaces such as handles, doors etc.
When should I seek care? (Take from https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/pages/covid19.aspx)
To ensure the sickest people receive care, help minimize the spread of infection and maintain resources, please follow the guidelines below when considering whether to seek medical care:
· Stay Home: If you are worried, please stay home. Going to the hospital or doctor’s office adds to a higher concentration of people and further overwhelms medical staff.
· Call for Advice: If you feel ill, but would NOT have sought care if not for the COVID-19, do not seek care at the E.R., hospital, or doctor’s office. If you want advice, call the Kentucky State hotline (1-800-722-5725) or call your local health care provider.
· Seek Care: If you are sick or feel you have an emergency, please call your doctor or seek medical care. Hospitals and medical staff across the commonwealth stand ready to serve you.
· Please call ahead if you are seeking medical care. If you think you might have COVID-19, please call your doctor or hospital before you go so that necessary precautions can be taken.
Articles and websites that you may find helpful:
· https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/pages/covid19.aspx
· https://medium.com/@amwren/forget-about-the-death-rate-this-is-why-you-should-be-worried-about-the-coronavirus-890fbf9c4de6?fbclid=IwAR0uLIFQC30MvkaB_I1wmPpBSXg6_mLn04nKWULFBEKhC8Sq6MttBPMLVDo
· https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/03/the-idiots-guide-to-coronavirus-from-an-emergency-physician.html
· https://blogs.jwatch.org/hiv-id-observations/index.php/as-testing-ramps-up-diagnoses-of-coronavirus-disease-in-the-u-s-will-soon-increase-substantially-how-will-we-respond/2020/03/08/
Regular Weekly Events and Gatherings:
Sunday School and Sunday Worship: We will continue to meet on Sunday mornings per our usual schedule at this time. If in the coming days and weeks it becomes clear that we should not meet, we will be making every attempt to stream some kind of worship service via our Facebook page. If this becomes necessary we will send information on how you can connect to our live stream/video. We are also hoping that by the end of March we will have the live streaming of our service available regularly so that if you are unable to join us for Sunday worship, you can watch us from your home.
Wednesday Dinner and Prayer Meeting: Right now we are still planning to meet. While we are watching how the virus outbreak spreads, we are paying close attention to the Episcopal Diocese of Louisville, The Archdiocese of Louisville and JCPS. We feel the Lenten fish fries that many congregations around the Louisville area have are as close of a model to our Wednesday dinners as we can find. We will be watching how those dioceses, JCPS, and other surrounding school districts react in the coming days.
Other Weekly Gatherings: We are in communication with other weekly meeting groups such as the AA groups, the Women’s Group, Dr. Hinson’s Wednesday class, Yoga, Live Wires, etc. and making decisions with the leadership of each group as to whether it is reasonable for their groups to continue meeting.
Special Gatherings and Events:
Kentucky Baptist Fellowship Youth Mission Weekend: We are in communication with the KBF. We will make a call as to whether this event will happen after we have heard from the leadership of KBF.
Johnson Lecture Series: We are in conversation with the planning team and the speaker, Molly Marshall. We will make a call on this event by Friday, March 13.
Eggstravaganza: We have some time to make a decision regarding this event. We will do what is best for our volunteers and community.
How to Stay Connected to CHBC:
Make sure that you are signed up for the Remind App so that we can text you any last minute updates about meetings, gatherings, and events. If you are not, simply text @chbcky to 81010
We will also send eNewsletters out regularly as information becomes available. If you do not receive that newsletter in your inbox, and you think you have signed up for it, check your spam folder. If you haven’t signed up to receive the eNewsletter, go to www.chbcky.org. At the bottom of our homepage is a place to enter your email address for the newsletter.
Check the church website (www.chbcky.org) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/CHBCKY) for updates.
Congregational Care:
For those living in nursing homes, retirement communities, or otherwise homebound, we will call and check up on you at least once a week. But if you have a need, or find yourself having to be isolated, please give us a call.
During this time of uncertainty and potential isolation, one role that we can play as a family of faith is to continue to make sure that some of the most vulnerable among us are not disconnected. We are also looking at ways that we might be able to provide food and meals and other essential items to some of those who might be sick and shut in during this period of time. Furthermore, we want to encourage all members of the congregation to make an extra effort to be in communication via phone, text, email, or some other appropriate means with one another in these days.