Springfield, Ill., Nov 28, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Concerned about the health of their parishioners, several United States bishops have issued advisories, telling churchgoers that they should not shake hands or drink from the chalice during mass if they have a flu or a cold.
The advisories were issued recently in the dioceses of Boston and Springfield in Massachusetts, after an unforeseen shortage of influenza vaccine this year in the Northeastern U.S.
The Archdiocese of Boston issued an advisory to its 2.1 million parishioners in early November, saying common sense “should reign supreme.”
“If one is sick, one should not receive from the cup,” it said. Likewise, it would be better – “for the good of others” – not to shake hands.