COVID-19: How Does Religion Interact with Pandemic?

Abstract

At the end of 2019, Corona’s outbreak appeared in Wuhan in China then rapidly the World Health Organization (WHO) stated Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic infection. This infection can transmit by areosal, direct contact, fomite, oral or a vector. So, as a matter of course, we expect mass gathering will over spread this infection as large numbers of people attending in close contact in certain location for extending time like Hajj, major sporting or other religious and culture events.1 In situation of Hajj, an estimated two million pilligrimes attend from 184 countries, present in crowded condition & performed religious rites in close contact and exposing themselves. An increase prevalence of infectious disease has been described also other than the Hajj as the annual celebration of day of Ashura in Karbala in Iraq which involved about 2-3 million of Muslim from and outside Iraq. Evidence of outbreaks is not limited to Muslims gathering, they also occur at Christian ones. Also respiratory tract infection outbreak was recorded during world youth day 2008 in Australia. So we should take precautions about these meetings and avoid spreading of infection.