A Supreme Court ruling prompted Los Angeles County to reverse the existing ban on church indoor worship services.
On Dec. 19, the Los Angeles County released a statement declaring the reverse on the currently implemented ban on indoor worship services in churches. The move is in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling about the in-person church gatherings across the state.
The County however, reminded the people in Los Angeles attending churches of several rules and restrictions that came along with the lifting of the ban.
"Because Los Angeles County is experiencing an unprecedented surge of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, every effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to congregants and to the entire community is critical," the County stated.
Churches are allowed to conduct both indoor and outdoor faith-based services provided they observe the mandatory physical distancing.
"Places of worship must also assure that attendance does not exceed the number of people who can be accommodated while maintaining a physical distance of six feet between separate households," added the county, according to Christian Post.
To continue its measure to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, the county also urged people attending the indoor and outdoor church services that wearing facemask is still a must. Preventing the exposure of nose and mouth in public gatherings should always be observed.
In response to the continual increase of the coronavirus cases in the country, states in different parts of the US implemented various levels of restrictions depending on the severity of the spread. The lockdowns included restricting the in-person gathering in several establishments and allowing a skeletal workforce for essential businesses.
Among those prohibited from the gathering are church activities such as indoor worship, bible studies, and congregational singing. Several religious leaders appealed to the order and responded with complaints against the state. They argued about the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty that the order suppresses.
A religious rabbi and Catholic priest filed a complaint against Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey while High Plains Harvest Church filed a lawsuit against Governor Jared Polis of Colorado.
Earlier in December, the Supreme Court sided with the churches in their appeal to challenge the COVID-19 restrictions in both states.
"I respectfully dissent because this case is moot," said Justice Elena Kagan. "High Plains Harvest Church has sought to enjoin Colorado's capacity limits on worship services. But Colorado has lifted all those limits," the justice added. Joining her were Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.
"This order shows that the Supreme Court is truly interested in ensuring churches get equal treatment with secular activities," said a statement from the Thomas More Society, a conservative law firm that represented the priest and rabbi on its stance against the New Jersey COVID 19 restrictions.
In California, Judge Gregory Pulskamp of the Superior Court of California for the County of Kern issued a temporary relief to Father Trevor Burfitt, who sued the state claiming that the restrictions issued to churches are beyond what the government implements on the secular body. The Catholic priest oversees a number of churches in California.
