‘No more handshakes, please’

In the way: A Catholic priest watching a congregant, who forgot to take off his face mask, trying to eat a Eucharist bread during communion at the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Manila’s Chinatown. — AP

In a popular Catholic church in the Philippines, nearly half of the pews were empty for Sunday Mass. The few hundred worshippers who showed up were asked to refrain from shaking others’ hands or holding them during prayers to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (novel coronavirus).

In Hong Kong, Cardinal John Hon Tong, wearing a mask, announced the suspension of public Masses for two weeks and urged churchgoers to instead watch them online.