Christmas 2021: Are Christmas Masses at St. Patrick's Cathedral Really Safe?

‘Full Speed Ahead… We’re Safe, We’re Secure, We’re Taking All The Precautions’ - Cardinal Dolan

I have not yet heard a public health expert characterize any setting as safe at any time during the pandemic.  Safety is always couched in relative terms:  progressive layers of precaution add up to increased, but never absolute safety.  Risk is reduced, but never eliminated.  Some people, by reason of age or other health attributes, are at higher risk than others at the same level of precaution.  This is why I question the safety of attending these Masses:

• Omicron is the dominant variant and it is many times more contagious than previous variants.
• Cases in NY state and NYC are extremely high.
• Vaccination is not being checked.  This aspect of prevention is left to the honor system.
• The unvaccinated are on the honor system to sit in a socially distanced section.  I doubt that all will comply.  Even if they do, they are exhaling into a common sanctuary.
• Masking is required, but will compliance be encouraged or enforced beyond providing masks at the door?  I watched a livestream Mass in our archdiocese on Sunday when the NYS mandate was in place.  Two blatantly unmasked in the front row and numerous people with nose out or mask under the chin.
• Even among the mask compliant, not all masks are equal in containing exhaled droplets.  There are issues of fit, design and materials.  If you are sitting next to a person wearing a bandana, a buff or a cloth mask alone, you are at greater risk than if you are next to someone who is double masked or wearing one of the approved N95's or equivalent.
• The Mass will be long and there will be congregational singing, factors that generally increase the likelihood of infection.
• Even though Communion will be distributed in the hand, every recipient will be lowering the mask and putting their hand near their mouth to receive.  As the cathedral has a large capacity, this creates a lot of drops in the bucket.

Cardinal Dolan is certainly a personable and affable shepherd, but I think in this instance he could have done much better to protect his flock from Covid.

Cardinal Dolan's interview with CBS