The Assembly recently took up legislation relating to closing places of worship to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I know that this is a very sensitive issue for many people who depend on their religious community for spiritual, emotional, and personal support. I’m sure it is a very difficult decision for public health officers to make.
In my remarks, I talked about how the Puritans in America in the 1600s slowed and halted the spread of the deadly smallpox disease by initiating quarantines and inoculations.