Coronavirus Outbreak: Mosques in Oise, France Close Doors to Worshippers

The prefectural decree banning all collective gatherings, issued on Sunday, March 1 to limit the spread of the Coronavirus, also prohibits religious gatherings. Just as several dioceses have canceled their Sunday masses, mosques have decided to close their doors to worshippers, both for Friday prayers and for daily prayers, "until further notice", reports Saphirnews.com. According to the same source, worshippers are invited to perform their prayers at home.

In the cities of Creil, Nogent-sur-Oise and Crépy-en-Valois in the same department, this decision to close these places of Muslim worship is being respected as well as in other Muslim places of worship in the department. According to the same media, they are all determined to contribute to the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.

These precautions come at a time when the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) has called on mosque leaders to be responsible in disseminating the right advice to their worshippers, it is specified.

It should be noted that Oise is the largest cluster (grouping of cases) in France, with 49 Covid-19 cases out of a total of 178 in the country. Several preventive measures have been taken, such as the closure of schools in nine municipalities in the department from March 2 to 14.