Amuntai, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The government of North Hulu Sungai (HSU) together with the Task Force for Acceleration Handling of COVID-19 resumed the At-Taqwa Grand Mosque of Amuntai for Friday congretional prayer.
For about two months, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mosque was closed from Friday congregational prayer, while five-time prayer was still allowed with a limited number of worshipers by applying physical distancing.
"The re-open of the mosque for Friday Prayer refers to the Minister of Religious Affairs in reopen house of worship as well as the implementation of the new normal or new life order in the midst of the COVID 19 outbreak," said HSU Regent H Abdul Wahid HK.
He said, the temporarily close if the mosque for Friday Prayer at the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 about two months ago because the public still did not know how to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
But now, he said, people already knew how to apply health protocol to avoid transmission of COVID-19, such as keeping a distance, wearing masks and others.
Especially now the government is conditioning the community to be used to a normal life with a new lifestyle so they can do their activities in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak or referred to as "new normal".
"So we continue our daily life, but with the condition that we must implement health protocol to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which must wear masks, keep distance, avoid crowds, frequently wash hands, and so on," said Wahid.
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When reopening the At-Taqwa Grand Mosque for Friday Prayer, Wahid distributed masks for free to the worshipers assisted by Satpol PP and PMI officers.
At the front door of the mosque, a sterilization booth was provided which every worshiper must pass through it to attend the congregational prayer.
Each of the congregation was asked to bring their own prayer mats from their houses to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
Wahid hoped the committee in other mosques to implement the same to comply with the COVID-19 prevention protocol so not to let the Friday Prayer became the cause of virus spreading.
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