Deepavali SOP: Only fully vaxxed individuals at temples, cemeteries, home visits

PETALING JAYA: Only fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to go to temples, cemeteries or carry out home visits during Deepavali, says the National Unity Ministry.

It added in a statement on Thursday (Oct 28) that dining-in activities at the temple and parades in conjunction with the festival are not allowed.

For states in Phase Three and Four of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), religious activities and prayers at non-Muslim houses of worship are allowed for fully vaccinated individuals with the number of attendance based on the size of the premises.

For states in Phase Three, such activities are only allowed from 6am to 2pm and 4pm to 10pm while for states in Phase Four, the timing is at the discretion of the respective premises.

However for states in both phases, no dine-in activities are permitted at the temples and only packed foods are allowed to be distributed.

The ministry also said that general activities in conjunction with the celebration of the Deepavali festival such as parades are also not allowed.

"Parade activities are not allowed. Deepavali bazaars are allowed but subject to the approval and monitoring of local authorities,” said the ministry.

"Home visits are only allowed for fully vaccinated individuals, in line with the interstate travel approval,” it added.

The ministry then said that cemetery visits are also only permitted for fully vaccinated individuals according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) on non-Muslim burial in the respective phases of the NRP," it said.

It added that National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique also called upon all those celebrating the festival in the new normal to adhere to the set SOPs such as wearing face masks, practising good hygiene and physical distancing.

The SOP for the celebration of Deepavali - which falls on Nov 4 this year - was approved in a Special Committee on Pandemic Management meeting.