The professor of microbiology of the University of West Attica and member of the committee of the Ministry of Health for the coronavirus Alkiviadis Vatopoulos expressed his own scientific position on the subject of the Holy Communion on Monday afternoon, speaking in the prime time news of the TV station Kontra.
Asked by the presenter whether he is concerned about the issue of the Holy Communion, which has so far been left out of the public debate, the professor of microbiology noted that “it is more a matter of overcrowding in the churches, which I think has been addressed”.
Taking the opportunity from the answer of Vatopoulos, the journalist asked: “it is not a question of using the same utensil?” with the professor answering that “this for me has clearly less epidemiological risk” and added that “the main danger is the overcrowding that is met with the reduction of people in the church, with the use of masks and with the encouragement to the vulnerable groups to watch the service from their home and not go to church.”
Asked to give more details on how epidemiologically the risk of using the same utensil with someone else is lower, the professor of microbiology said that “it is not a food borne disease, it is with breathing and droplets” and added that “so it is not transmitted by drinking something, but by breathing something.”
Returning to the subject of the Holy Communion, the journalist asked for a more specific position from Vatopoulos, “are there no droplets left in the spoon from one to the next and to the next one to come?”, with the professor answering that “we eat the droplets that remain in the spoon we do not inhale them”, while closing this discussion he clarified that “there is a danger, I do not dispute that it is unhealthy (note: the use of common forceps), I just say that the main problem is overcrowding which is the most important risk.”
