SALISBURY, England (AP) – David Halls is not a doctor, nurse or ambulance driver, but he wanted to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. So he did what he does best: he sat on the bench next to the historic organ in Salisbury Cathedral and started playing.
Halls is one of many people who have turned the 800-year-old cathedral in southwest England into a center for mass vaccination as the UK runs to inoculate 50 million people. Their contribution to the effort is to offer a little bit of Bach, Handel and even a little bit of Rodgers & Hammerstein to the public, as they crawl around the ship to get their photos.
“In times of crisis, people get together and want to listen to music; in moments of joy, people want to listen to music, ”Halls, the cathedral’s music director, told the Associated Press. “And therefore, I don’t think it’s surprising that the effect of calming music on people who are probably feeling quite stressed for a variety of reasons.”
Salisbury Cathedral, home to one of the best preserved copies of the Magna Carta and the tallest church tower in England, has been listed as a vaccination center as the government expands its shooting program to football stadiums, convention centers and hundreds local medical offices to expedite delivery.
Hundreds of elderly residents rolled up their sleeves and took their photos on the large nave, which is large enough to bring people together while keeping them safely apart.
It is in stark contrast to 1627, when church leaders locked the cathedral gates to keep the townspeople away while the plague swept over Salisbury. Canon Nicholas Papadopulos, dean of the cathedral, says he reflected on this episode with “visceral discomfort” last year, when he celebrated the building’s 800th anniversary.
Now, it’s time for a new chapter.
“If these stones could speak, they would speak of moments of incredible joy and moments of incredible sadness,” said Halls. “It seems entirely appropriate that the cathedral is playing its part in trying to turn things around and be part of vaccinations … Being part of this is a privilege, an honor.”
The UK plans to offer a first dose of the vaccine to more than 15 million people by mid-February, as it targets the country’s oldest and most vulnerable residents in the first phase of the program. Progressively younger groups of people will follow suit, with the government planning to reach everyone over 18 by September.
The need is urgent. Britain’s healthcare system is reeling as doctors and nurses struggle with a more contagious variant of COVID-19.
Although new infections appear to have peaked, the number of people hospitalized is still increasing. More than 39,000 patients are being treated in hospitals in the UK, 80% more than during the first pandemic peak last April. Britain reported 93,463 coronavirus-related deaths, more than any other country in Europe and the fifth highest number of deaths worldwide.
The cathedral effort is communal, involving many. The organizers took turns for two hours playing the huge “Pai Willis” – making sure to sanitize in the middle.
John Challenger, 32, Salisbury’s assistant music director, said that many receiving the photos are older people who are isolated and haven’t been able to listen to live music for months.
In addition to playing soft music, Challenger used his organ time to entertain and awaken memories by playing songs like Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”.
“And in the most frivolous moments, I played ‘I like being by the sea’, because, you know, we all want to go on vacation and we can’t get where we want to go,” he said.
Among those listening on Wednesday was Sylvia Parkin, 82, who came with her husband, David, 86. They had to stay home a lot in the past 10 months, which was not fun.
“It’s a trip today, isn’t it?” She said happily. ”It is a wonderful place to have an injection. ″
And although it can be a long way to the organ loft, people have managed to fulfill their requests
Halls played Handel’s “Largo” and Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” for an 80-year-old neighbor who sent an email asking for his favorite songs to be played at precisely 10:45 am on Saturday, just as the needle was passing inside.
When Halls finished, he looked at the screen showing the organist what was happening downstairs and saw his neighbor waving frantically – in the style of a windshield wiper – and offering his thanks.
“He emailed me later and said that this was the best part of his life besides the wedding day,” said Halls. “I think that being in second place is very good, actually.”
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Kearney contributed from Salisbury, England.
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