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CURRENT RESTRICTIONS ON ALL SERVICES

Rules for all  gatherings and services (indoor and outdoor)
For all outdoor gatherings and services, please ensure the following:

• A COVID-safe plan has been approved by parish council, a COVID-safe officer has been appointed, and the plan and officer’s details have been sent to registrar@melbourneanglican.org.au.
• Seats can be used outside but must be properly wiped clean before and afterwards.
• People must remain at least 1.5m from each other. The 4sqm rule applies indoors and outdoors.
• Masks must be worn indoors at all times, apart from the clergy or ASLM when they are speaking. Please note that masks must be fitted masks. Face shields, scarves and bandanas are not a legal replacement for masks. If seated outdoors, masks do not need to be worn, but if social distancing is not easy to enforce outdoors, masks should be worn.
• Anyone leading with a mask off must be at least 5m from other people, indoor or out. If you cannot be 5m away, then you will need to preach and lead with a mask on.
• Hand sanitiser is used on arrival.
• Toilets are cleaned before and afterwards.
• There is no overlap of attendees from one service/gathering to another apart from the cleric or ASLM leading.
• An attendance register of first names and phone numbers is made and kept for 28 days.
• People who have any COVID symptoms must not attend.
• The cleric or ASLM leading or a COVID-safe officer must ensure everyone abides by the hygiene rules
• People can have refreshments outdoors in groups of not more than fifty, under the rules for general public gatherings. Indoors refreshments can be served so long as the 4sqm rule and general social distancing is able to be maintained.
• For refreshments, no sharing of food or utensils. No self-service of food or drinks. All dishes must be thoroughly washed after use.
• The COVID-safe officer does not have to attend but has to ensure that the rules are known and will be kept. If the COVID-safe officer does attend, they are included within the maximum number of people allowed.
• People attending do not need to be from the same household or social bubble.
• Do not use shared prayerbooks or Bibles. A single-use printed order of service sheet may be useful.
• Communion must be in one kind (bread) or wine/juice in individual cups or some safe mechanism for a drop of wine on a wafer. Whatever method must have stringent hygiene in preparation and distribution. Do not intinct.
• Do not preside speaking over uncovered elements. Ensure the celebrant’s droplets and aerosols do not touch the bread or wine.
• Those distributing communion need to wear a mask to do so.
• Those distributing and those receiving ought to sanitise hands immediately before. Those distributing need to avoid touching other people’s hands when distributing.
• Those receiving communion should briefly remove their mask to consume and then replace their mask.
• No food, drink, vessels, utensils or other equipment are to be shared by participants.
• For services indoors, windows and doors should be open for maximum ventilation.
• Anybody who is not fully well cannot attend a church or activity for any reason.
• Services or gatherings can include a children’s Sunday School, youth service or prayer meeting but not a business meeting like parish council and not other activities like a youth group or children’s after-school group. Permitted gatherings must be like a service, teaching, prayers, songs or hymns (singing to a minimum). For other groups, see below.

CHURCHES AND SERVICESIndoor church services
150 people can be indoors for a religious gathering/service led by a cleric, ASLM or clearly designated leader. 
A religious gathering could include a service or a prayer meeting with a clearly designated leader. Such gatherings do not include meetings or Bible study groups (see below). A Sunday school class could be a religious service/gathering.
DHHS recommends thirty minutes between services/gatherings to ensure no overlap between groups.
Outdoor church services
Outdoors, the maximum is 300 people with one cleric or ASLM. Anyone else leading the service is counted in the 300 people. This can be in one group, but maintaining social distance (4sqm rule applies outside), hygiene, etc.  An outdoor gathering or service must be on or near a church building. An outdoor service cannot happen while there is an indoor gathering.
If children are present there must be at least two adults also present. Servers, cantors, musicians, assistant clergy and camera and sound operators are included within the attendance maximum.
Video or livestreaming of services in church facilities can be done with people, all of whom are essential to the activity. However, if combined with a service with people attending, those involved in the livestream or video are counted as part of the attendance maximum.
Working in the church facilities
Everyone is encouraged to work from home if at all possible. If there is no registered COVID-Safe plan with the diocesan registry, then no work or access to the church facilities is permitted. Anyone working in the church offices alone does not need to wear a mask but if someone else enters the same space, masks must be worn. We discourage shared office spaces if at all possible. The 4sqm rule applies to each and every indoor space. Keep indoor workspaces as ventilated as possible. Minimise social contact and visitors to the site. Keep an attendance logbook. Regularly clean all common surfaces.
Where possible, clerics and ASLMs ought not to work in multiple places on the same day. This is not always possible but please minimise multisite working as much as possible.
Meetings, Bible studies, groups
Home groups can now meet in homes with up to fifteen people plus those hosting. In church facilities, subject to 4sqm, groups can meet, including parish councils, of up to twenty people in one group and with a maximum of 150 at the venue.
Playgroups, etc
Playgroups can operate with a maximum of ten people, but no shared toys are allowed. Infants under the age of 12 months are not counted in the ten people. Groups that don’t have an outdoor area at their church could arrange to meet at a local park. Booking for sessions will be necessary, and churches might consider running multiple, shorter sessions to cater for more people. Playgroup activities can include nature play activities, reading aloud and group singing. Picnic rugs will help families stay socially distanced for group activities such as snack time and story time. Food and drinks must be individually provided by each family, including for adults. Encouraging fresh healthy food snacks and water, rather than sweet treats and juices, should continue to be the norm for playgroups and Mainly Music, and is particularly important for children to maintain good health as they begin to socialise again. 
Adults must wear masks except when eating and drinking.
Please see advice on COVID-safe play at playgroup here.
Sports groups could meet in groups of twenty, without physical contact. All shared equipment must be disinfected after each use. There must be 8sqm per person for sport activity. Cleaning must take place before the next group uses the facility. If participants are all 18 years old or under, twenty can be in the one space.
Participation in an essential support service (such as food or meals distribution) is allowed.
Hosting essential community support groups is allowed.
Funerals and Weddings
Funerals have a maximum of 150 mourners inside plus those required to lead the service. Weddings can occur with 150 people in attendance, including the bridal couple. The celebrant and the photographer are extra. Clergy who decline weddings or funerals for personal safety reasons are urged to speak with their Area Dean to see if another minister can conduct the service.
Funeral wakes and wedding refreshments
A wake is not part of a funeral and refreshments for weddings are not part of the wedding. So any food and drink comes under hospitality restrictions for numbers and not the numbers for funerals and weddings.
Mowing lawns, gardening
There are no restrictions on the number of people who can look after church gardens and lawns at one time. Masks must be worn, no mingling and no indoors activity. Shared equipment must be disinfected after use.
Attendance records
We are legally obliged to record only the first name of each person attending and their phone number for contact tracing. This record is to be kept for 28 days. We suggest having someone responsible for this and no sharing of pens.
Sign in Safe is a web-based application that allows people to scan a QR code as they enter and leave your church building. The application logs their name and phone number as well as the date and time of entry and exit. It can be used for services, meetings, or even to record staff coming and going from your site. The application has been developed by Bree Mills and a team of developers and designers. It is a low-cost, contactless solution that requires no new technology purchase and can be used on any site. All you need to do is print a provided poster with your unique IN and OUT codes and you will be set to go. There is a small set up cost, and a monthly fee to cover the technology and development. Email Bree Mills for more information info@signinsafe.io and see the website here.
Cleaning
Cleaning needs to be in between each use, and strictly follow the COVID guidelines provided.
Singing
There are several reports of heightened danger of infection through singing indoors. Congregational singing is not allowed indoors. Do not share microphones without wiping them with disinfectant between users. Outdoors, masks should be worn during congregational singing.
Small choirs or singers should only perform in well-ventilated indoor settings and must be limited to a maximum of five singers or wind instrument players. Performers must be 2m apart and 5m from the congregation. Masks must be worn apart from one leader. Singing outdoors is fine but unmasked song leaders must keep 5m from the congregation.