Home » City Guide »

San Francisco Churches Can Reopen Indoors Sept. 30

Places of worship can reopen indoors at 25% capacity, but no singing, choirs or chanting (for now)
By - posted 9/29/2020 No Comment

Starting on Wednesday, September 30, places of worship can open indoors at 25% capacity, up to 100 people. Outdoor worship services will continue, now with up to 200 people, as long as there is sufficient space to allow for social distancing.

Singing or chanting is not allowed indoors since choirs and singing indoors is a known source of COVID-19 spread.

Is it 50 or 100 people allowed inside? Please note there is conflicting information where the mayor’s press release says that a maximum of 100 people are allowed, but the sf.gov guidelines currently say a maximum of 50 people are allowed.

The place of worship must conduct a health check of patrons before they enter the facility. Face coverings are required at all times except for brief removal to consume food or drink if it is essential to a ritual or ceremony.

Read the full press release | Guidelines for places of worship

Other “Considerations” for holding safe indoor church services

  • Encourage all worshippers to choose 1 indoor service to attend per week, at most. More indoor gatherings means more risk to all worshippers.
  • Have attendees sign in for each service. If someone tests positive for COVID-19 later, the City can help everyone get tested.
  • Plan your services to be 2 hours long at most. Avoid shouting, chanting, or singing. Only 1 person at a time should speak. They must wear a face covering and be 12 feet away from everyone else. Have them use a microphone instead of raising their voice.
  • Screen everyone for COVID-19 symptoms before they enter. Send people home if they feel sick.
  • Everyone must wear face coverings while attending a religious service. If they must remove their face covering for a ceremony, they must keep their mouth closed and be 6 feet away from others. If they must speak, they must be behind a solid partition and more than 12 feet away from others.