Vietnamese Catholics stream services online to curb pandemic

In Da Nang City and Hoi An Town, Catholics begun participating in services at home Sunday via live streaming on the church’s websites or social media.

Authorities in both localities have ordered religious leaders to suspend crowd-gathering activities this week, starting Tuesday in Da Nang and Wednesday in Hoi An.

Father Dang Duc Ngan, Bishop of the Da Nang Diocese, ordered all events suspended and replaced with online services at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Weekday services will be held online at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., he said.

In the northern localities of Bac Ninh and Hanoi, the services are also being broadcast online, with only priests and a few assistants showing up at churches to perform the rituals.

In Ho Chi Minh City, church leaders have limited participation to half a church’s capacity with strict following of social distancing protocol.

The central town of Hue has banned church gatherings of more than 50 people.

Vietnam has confirmed 256 Covid-19 community transmissions since April 27 in 24 localities, led by Hanoi with 100 cases, Vinh Phuc 33, Bac Ninh 43 and Da Nang, 18.