Eid guidance during COVID-19 pandemic

As the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close, Muslims in Newcastle and around the world will be celebrating Eid ul-Fitr.

Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, accomplishing one of the most important religious duties in Islam.

It’s a time where family and friends come together, and under normal circumstances houses would be buzzing with festive fervour.

However, like last year, Eid celebrations will be different again. Coronavirus is still circulating in our communities and remains a major pandemic here in the UK and worldwide.

So, to help you celebrate safely and keep loved ones safe, here’s what you can and can’t do:

• Eid starts with a congregational prayer at the mosque. Communal prayers are permitted but space will be limited due to Covid safety measures and social distancing rules within mosques so please check with your local mosque. If you are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable then please take extra precautions.
• As we’re still in Stage 2 of the roadmap until 17th May, visiting other households is not permitted, no household mixing indoors. Avoid any indoor Eid celebrations with other households. You can meet with up to 6 people or two households outdoors, this includes private gardens.

As well as this, please continue to follow the Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air message:

• hands (wash or sanitise your hands regularly),
• face (wear a face mask when you are with others),
• space (keep a two metre distance from others outside your household/support bubble)
• and fresh air (stay outdoors.)

Travel abroad is not currently permitted except in exceptional circumstances. A holiday is not an exception. The exceptional circumstances are listed in the UK government’s travel guidance which can be found on gov.uk.

From next week, 17th May lockdown restrictions will ease as part of Stage 3 of the roadmap.

Please remember to get tested if you have any symptoms of Coronavirus, and if you or someone you live with tests positive for COVID-19 then you must follow the self-isolation guidance to stop the spread of the virus. You can also do weekly tests if you do not have any symptoms through the pharmacy collect service. You can collect free rapid Covid-19 test kits from your participating local pharmacy, visit the NHS test and trace website to find out more.

By following these guidelines, you can still make the most of this important celebration without putting yourselves and loved ones at risk.

We know the best form of protection against Coronavirus is the COVID-19 vaccine, so if you’ve held off getting it during Ramadan then please book your vaccine at the earliest opportunity. All people over the age of 40 can now book a COVID jab.

Thank you for the sacrifices you continue to make to help control the spread of the virus.

We hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.

Eid Mubarak

Using digital technology

It’s great to see digital platforms like Zoom, Teams, Skype, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Facebook helping our communities stay in touch with each other and bringing live sermons to people’s homes during the lockdown.

For anyone wanting to learn new recipes, Youtube has been a brilliant tool for people to learn new dishes for Iftar. Why not learn new recipes for Eid as well.

Families have used Zoom, House Party, Skype and other video conferencing platforms to keep in touch with other.

Further information and advice can be found on the The Muslim Council of Britain website.