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Coronavirus: Avoid traditional gatherings this Easter

Experts encourage people to consider watching televised holiday services

Many houses of worship are holding virtual services for Easter on Sunday. (Cleveland Clinic News Service)

Whether it’s an egg hunt or brunch with family and friends, Easter is traditionally a time for gathering.

But this year will be different because of COVID-19.

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Frank Esper, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, said people, who typically attend church on Easter Sunday, should consider switching to a televised option.

“Within in a church, it’s just so enclosed and the ceremonies are so personal; I would say that it’s very difficult for you to maintain a safe distance from anyone, therefore I would recommend doing something online or talking to your church representative to see what options they have available,” he said.

Community egg hunts also bring people together in a confined space. So, Dr. Esper recommends avoiding these events altogether.

Instead, he suggests hunting for eggs with your own children in the backyard.

And don’t bother inviting extended family for Easter dinner – sheltering at home means only coming into contact with people who live in your house.

“This very well may be a video phone Easter dinner for a lot of us,” said Dr. Esper. “Certainly there’s a lot of communication that can still happen, a lot of calling can still happen, and a lot of wishing everyone well, but to have everybody at the same house is not a recommendation.”

Dr. Esper said this Easter will be strange for everyone, but it’s especially important to remain distant from one another to reduce the spread of COVID-19.