COVID-19 & Coronavirus

How are COVID-19 and novel coronavirus affecting the Amish? What about schools, church, stores, mud sales? Are the Amish somehow protected from this pandemic? Read on for our coverage and commentary on this ongoing topic.

Up to 90% of Lancaster County Plain families have had at least one family member infected with COVID-19, according to a local health center administrator. From Lancaster Online: Late last spring a COVID-19 wave tore through the Plain community when they resumed church services, infecting an untold number of Amish and Mennonites in Lancaster County. […]

Continue Reading Have The Amish Reached Herd Immunity?

I notice that people are wondering lately if the Amish are going to vaccinate for COVID-19. A recent study showed that 75% of Amish in one large community would reject the COVID vaccine. So you see why it is a concern for the people paid to worry about these things. Here’s one report from CBS21 […]

Continue Reading Will Amish Get Vaccinated For COVID?

In her latest column “Being Amish during a pandemic“, Amish Cook Gloria Yoder addresses the contention that “many Amish” are not wearing masks: I gaze out the window of our little office, wondering what tidbits to share with you all. My mind turns to the letters and notes I received from those of you who […]

Continue Reading Gloria Yoder: Why Aren’t Amish “Masking Up”?

Amish have been regularly faulted for failing to follow COVID regulations – going back to early on in the pandemic experience. Now, a public health body in Canada says local Plain groups are in fact complying with COVID regulations regarding church gatherings. This, despite apparent complaints from non-Plain neighbors. Farming in an Ontario Old Order […]

Continue Reading Notice: Amish & Mennonite Church Meetings Shouldn’t Be Blamed For COVID Spread

Just revisiting a story from the early days of the Covid pandemic. One of the positive stories out of that period was about the efforts in Plain communities to produce masks and other PPE for first responders and the general public. We saw examples of this in communities including Lancaster County, New Wilmington, PA, and […]

Continue Reading Holmes County Amish-Powered Effort Produced “Several Million” Masks & Gowns (Video)

From Cleveland 19 News: CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ashland County Health Department says a recent outbreak affecting the area’s Amish community stems from a wedding. The outbreak, which is declared when at least two or more individuals test positive for an infectious disease like COVID-19, in the Loudonville area originated from an Ashland County […]

Continue Reading Ohio COVID-19 Outbreak Traced To Amish Wedding

From the Wooster Daily Record: MILLERSBURG — Coronavirus cases in Holmes County have spiked in recent weeks after the county spent months in the single digits. The Ohio Department of Health reported on Friday that 84 cases had been detected in the county, up from 15 cases a month ago. The county has reported three […]

Continue Reading Coronavirus Increases Among Amish: Two Responses

It’s just a little detail at the very end of this story, on Amish in Maine and coronavirus. But worth drawing attention to. This is the Unity community: They also added, they’ve been receiving Stimulus checks but they will not accept them and those will be returned to the Federal Government. The Amish don’t accept […]

Continue Reading Amish Returning COVID-19 Stimulus Checks

Lovina Eicher of Lovina’s Amish Kitchen reports in her latest column on church service restarting in her Michigan community. Sunday, we hosted church services in our pole barn, which was the first time we met since the lockdown. Our church members decided to gather for the service and then all leave and have their lunches […]

Continue Reading Lovina Eicher: Church Is Back – But Without Lunch

One more Amish mask post (last one?). This one was a little under-the-radar, but caught my attention for several reasons (via the Beaver County Times). One, this is probably the plainest Amish group I’ve seen involved in mask making. This is New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Amish here are not as strict as say Swartzentruber Amish, but […]

Continue Reading Amish Women Sew A Mask In 5 Minutes – With Foot-Powered Antique Machines (New Wilmington, PA)