ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — In a letter written Thursday by Father Ed Murphy with the Corpus Christi Catholic Church, he announced that he tested positive for COVID-19.
The pastor said he took the test on Friday, July 19 per a friend's suggestion after Murphy had "annoying sinus issues," which included the loss of taste and smell, he wrote.
"I may have been too dismissive that I could have the virus because I have experienced the loss of taste and smell due to my allergies many times," Murphy wrote. He added that symptoms improved a day later.
So when Murphy received positive results on Sunday, "it was a surprise," he said.
"Despite my own best efforts to practice good habits and avoid contracting COVID-19, I did, and that should serve as a lesson to others to how infectious this contagion really is," he wrote.
Murphy is now quarantining himself according to protocols by the Florida Health Department.
The St. Augustine Record reports that following his coronavirus test, Murphy led the 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday, as well as all three church Masses on Sunday before he received his positive test results.
Kathleen Bagg, spokeswoman for the Diocese of St. Augustine, told the Record that he led services because he was feeling better and thought he was fine.
Murphy wrote that the church is following safety guidelines, which includes
"disinfecting the church after each Mass with an electrostatic professional-grade sprayer that touches all surfaces and fills in all crevices and kills the COVID-19 virus," he wrote.
He added that staff is also wearing masks and regularly disinfecting their hands before and after distributing Communion.
"I hope this incident doesn't discourage parishioners from attending Mass," Murphy wrote.