A fairly slow news week, but links between the pandemic and faith continue to emerge in different world regions.

Religion-focused vaccination and social assistance efforts continue both at home and abroad. A U.S. webinar study focused on disproportionate COVID-19 impacts on Black communities and assessed efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy by providing robust factual information. Findings “suggest that virtual webinars may be effective at reducing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black churchgoers and may be applicable in addressing other health behaviors.” A study based in Bangladesh explored mosque-centered social assistance (SA) programs responding to increased needs during COVID-19 emergencies. It identified some advantages: “since the management of SA distribution is challenging, it is important that skilled, fair, and committed persons are saddled with the SA distribution responsibility. In addition, government and policymakers can develop standard operating procedures (SOP), which can be adopted by the FBOs to prevent the transmissions of COVID-19.” A study in Mogadishu, Somalia of community-led COVID-19 responses identified numerous and diverse efforts, some resulting in effective collaboration, but others still presenting gaps. Nevertheless, the article offers hope that interventions “such as to enhance health systems, counter police brutality, support multisectoral upgrading, and engage constructively with informality–may open newfound possibilities of more lasting, equitable change.” Another report from India highlights positive efforts with distributing COVID-19 boosters at religious festivals.

A Canadian study hints at emerging answers to questions about the impact of COVID-19 on people’s faith: “In light of the GSS results, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have affected Canadians’ religiosity to a certain extent, but it did not drastically disrupt religious practice and affiliation. The risks associated with the pandemic and the public health measures in effect may have led the population to reduce its participation in group religious activities, with certain groups being more affected than others. Involvement with religious organizations also declined. In contrast, the pandemic does not seem to have had an impact on engaging in religious or spiritual activities on one’s own or on religious affiliation.”

Meanwhile, legal changes linked to COVID-19 responses and restrictions also paint complex, country-by-country pictures (U.K. example).