The Coronavirus pandemic has led to the restriction of religious gatherings in buildings like churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and more. With this, there has been a lot of public backlash; people who regularly practice their religion are arguing that the restrictive regulations implemented in response to the pandemic have limited their religious freedoms.

Denying someone their religious rights is against the First Amendment; however, their rights are not being stripped from them, just modified. As long as religion is practiced safely and in pursuance of COVID-19 precautions, people should still be allowed to practice their religion. 

In Westport, religious gatherings are restricted to 50% capacity or 100 people maximum. Westports United Methodist Church has an option for online gatherings if in person is too risky for some. In person gatherings require members to read the protocols of worship and bring an attendance waiver.

With those precautions properly followed, religious gatherings should be able to continue. 

It is understandable that there is a lot of pushback from the public on allowing religious gatherings to happen without the same precautions and modifications as a normal gathering; a religious gathering should not bypass the rules that the rest of the country has to follow. 

It is important that all rules are followed because if the gatherings are happening without simple precautions, then that group should not be allowed to proceed as they are endangering themselves and any other people they come into contact with. 

The precautions that need to take place are very simple; the CDC recommends that everyone remains six feet apart, wears a mask throughout the entire event, washes their hands, disinfects anything that is touched by more than one person and stays outside.