This comes from the Philippines:
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is urging priests to offer the communion by the hand instead of putting the host into the mouth of the faithful during masses as a precautionary measure against the 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCov).
According to Palma such a measure had been implemented even before the outbreak of 2019-nCov, especially during the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-Cov) in 2001.
Palma said that he is now coordinating with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for the possible issuance of a pastoral letter for such purpose.
Palma, however, explained that a communion is an act of Catholics in showing their devotion to the Lord Almighty and it doesn’t matter how the host was accepted by a faithful.
There is no mention about refraining from using the cup to distribute the Precious Blood, but perhaps that use is not widespread in his country.
The story also says the archbishop will soon be issuing a prayer about the coronovirus.
