A united collaborative approach between Warwickshire County Council, multiple partners and local faith leaders...
A united collaborative approach between Warwickshire County Council, multiple partners and local faith leaders has ensured the successful delivery of a COVID safe Ramadan for Warwickshire’s Muslim communities.
The county council hosted regular conversations with partners and local mosque representatives by using online meetings to discuss Ramadan preparations and COVID-19 safety. These conversations were particularly crucial for implementing the safe practice of evening Taraweeh prayers, where many people are located in the same place of worship for a long period. To support the mosque leaders a range of organisations worked alongside the council as a collaborative group to deliver the safe implementation of Ramadan in Warwickshire, including the county council’s Public Health team, Regulatory Services, EQuIP (Warwickshire: Equality and Inclusion Partnership) and Warwickshire Police.
Mosque leaders in Warwickshire were also invited to a series of webinars to engage with Public Health, Warwickshire Trading Standards and Community Safety, Environmental Health and other partners to discuss the safe celebration of Ramadan, and involved in providing detailed risk assessments of their mosque facilities, for example, to identify areas that would require additional ventilation.
To manage the increase in demand for mosques as places of worship during Ramadan, a key selection of COVID-19 safe guidance was agreed by the collective for implementation:
- 2-metre social distancing for the duration of all Taraweeh prayers
- All attendees to take regular rapid COVID-19 tests
- Ventilation increased in indoor communal spaces
- Time spent indoors in communal areas limited to essential worship only
- Breaking of the fast must be done with food and drink bought in by each congregant for their consumption
- Social distancing to be managed at the mosque entrances and exits
Yaseen Ahmedabadi, President for Nuneaton Mosque, said:
“The past year has been very challenging for our local communities and disrupted our usual religious practices. Last year, due to lockdown restrictions, prayer services were not possible in any places of worship and had to be carried out at home. As mosques have been permitted to open again this year, including for Ramadan, we have chosen to work collaboratively with Warwickshire County Council, Public Health and partners to understand what safety guidelines to follow to keep our local communities safe.
“Our mosques have also distributed nearly 2,000 rapid COVID-19 testing kits provided to us by Warwickshire Community Testing and we have seen no outbreaks from mosques during the entire Ramadan period. This is a great testament to our congregation for continuing to adhere to the recommended safety guidance”.
Following the end of Ramadan, faith leaders have also been invited to sign-up to Warwickshire County Council’s new Community Pledge, to publicly continue with this positive commitment to ensure COVID secure best practice is observed by both staff and visitors in their facilities.
Emily Van der Venter, Associate Director of Public Health for Warwickshire County Council, said:
“Ramadan is an important time of year to the Muslim community of Warwickshire, and the practising of Taraweeh prayers within places of worship this year has been permitted in accordance with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
“We would like to thank the mosque leaders for their ongoing co-operation in implementing fundamental guidance that has been key to ensuring we keep the congregations of Warwickshire’s local mosques safe.
“As we are now coming to the end of Ramadan, we would like to wish our Muslim communities a joyful and happy Eid, and remind everyone to celebrate safely by continuing to regularly wash their hands, wear a face covering, keep social distancing, let in plenty of fresh air when indoors, and to get regular community tests. Only by continuing to follow this guidance are we able to contain the virus and keep Warwickshire’s communities safe, well and connected”.
Warwickshire’s Muslim communities observe the month of Ramadan on the citing of the new moon each year. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith and commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims will fast and increase spiritual devotional acts such as prayer, reading the Qur’an, giving charity and strengthening family ties.
We wish Warwickshire’s Muslim communities a wonderful and safe Eid.
For information and guidance about reducing the spread COVID-19 in Warwickshire, visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/information-coronavirus
Warwickshire community groups can sign-up to the Community Pledge and find out more about how to be COVID secure at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/covidcommunitypledge
Further guidance is available to manage the safe use of places of worship and celebrating religious festivals during coronavirus (COVID-19) on the GOV.UK website.