(courtesy of ISKCON News)

Temples in many parts of the world are gearing up their safety and visiting policies in response to the widespread growth and upsurge of covid-19 variants. 

On Thursday, August 12th, after a visitor informed the temple she had tested positive, New Vrindaban in West Virginia closed to the public. The Welcome Center and Palace Lodge are also closed and all bookings are canceled until August 18th. The buildings are being thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Masks are now mandatory in all enclosed spaces and prasadam distribution to the larger community has been suspended. 

At Radhadesh, Belgium, the guided tour program, retreat center, restaurant, and gift shop have been closed until further notice. For more information on Radhadesh’s visiting policies, they urge you to follow them on social media for the latest updates.  

Nila Madhava Das (Dr Neeraj Verma), who was in charge of a hospital covid wing during the first wave of the pandemic in the US said, “The Delta variant of Covid 19 is twice as contagious as the previous virus. It is the predominant strain now in the USA. Until it is controlled it is recommended that we protect our communities all over the world by wearing masks indoors at all times during public events. The unvaccinated are even more susceptible to severe illness and even higher risk of hospitalizations from this variant.” 

ISKCON News will keep you updated with the latest temple information as it becomes available to us.