Taiwan’s biggest religious festival, the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, is taking place this week with added COVID-19 restrictions. Worshippers will need to prove they have had three COVID vaccine doses to take part in the celebrations.
Crowds flood the streets in an annual procession to celebrate the birthday of the sea goddess Mazu. It’s a pilgrimage that dates back to 1730 and stretches over 340 kilometers across the west coast. Throughout the nine-day journey, worshipers pass by over 100 temples dedicated to the goddess.
This year’s celebration will see a few changes to the traditional pilgrimage. Health authorities say that anyone who wants to take part has to get written approval by showing they’ve already received three vaccine doses. In addition, everyone has to wear a mask at all times.
Still, these measures aren’t enough to assuage everyone’s fears. Many parents are worried that their unvaccinated children are at a high risk of infection from the crowds.
They are demanding that authorities ban the worshippers from passing near their children’s schools. Most schools have responded by refusing to offer their campuses as a rest stop for the procession.
The festival’s COVID rules may be inconvenient for some. But the government says they’ll keep people safe amid the raucous celebrations.