In response to COVID 19 (coronavirus) outbreak, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) have taken precautionary measures. CEC has issued guidelines to its staff, both in Brussels and Strasbourg, cancelling all meetings involving international travel until the end of April, encouraging instead online means of communication.   

CEC’s guidelines on COVID 19, complying with the official information by the Belgian health ministry, are implemented for CEC-CCME staff and visitors to the Ecumenical Centre in Brussels.

“Our prime concern during these weeks is the health and safety of our staff and partners in the light of the current situation,” said Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen, CEC general secretary. “We employ these measures in order not to spread the virus through international travel and in an attempt to avoid disturbance of our work through absences or potential quarantine.”

“As we see developments in Europe and globally, we give thanks to the high number of committed medical staff who work tirelessly. And we pray for our decision makers that they find strength and wisdom to make the right choices in a very complex and unpredictable situation,” he added.

Since December 2019, over 100,000 cases of COVID 19 have been reported worldwide, with over 4,000 deaths, spread to over 100 countries according to the World Health Organization reports.

CEC and CCME will continue to work on its programmes, while taking serious measures to ensure safety and health of its staff and community at large, avoiding the spread of the virus.