Rabbi Aaron Glatt, MD – Chairman
Changes in shul polices re COVID
A message from Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt:
Many Rabbonim and lay shul leaders have been asking me if shul policies should be “loosened” and allow for less distancing and / or masking now that BH more and more people are vaccinated. Several medical points need to be emphasized: 1) BH serious complications, including hospital admissions and death have been dramatically reduced in fully vaccinated people. 2) Risk of transmission in such fully vaccinated individuals if they get infected is very low but not zero. 3) The CDC states we are seeing more hospitalizations than previously in younger patients (30s and 40s) due to some of the variant strains. 4) No one can accurately predict how effective the current vaccines will be against some of the newer novel variant strains and what future strains may occur. 5) Long term sequelae of COVID-19 still are not fully understood, and many people, including younger individuals with COVID-19 illness (even mild illness) still have significant symptoms present months after infection. COVID-19 is certainly not a “benign” illness in all young patients. 6) While my personal analysis is that the presence of antibodies at least in the initial 8 months after infection (and possibly beyond that) indicates a significant level of immunity against acquiring a second COVID-19 infection, the value of such antibodies and what they mean longer after infection remains an uncertain area of medicine. To this date, the CDC still does not recommend usage of antibodies in decision making. 7) The CDC as a public health protector will naturally be more cautious than any individual physician, even as an “expert” may be comfortable in making policy changes / loosening some of the guidance. 8) Even where evidence exists to “loosen” prior restrictive guidelines in the setting of full vaccination, there are significant logistical issues in verifying vaccine / prior COVID-19 status, assuring that individuals with ANY symptoms refrain from attending shul and shiurim, and policing guests and visitors attending such “vaccinated” minyanim and semachot. 9) While fully vaccinated people can resume domestic travel and do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel, the CDC as of April 2, 2021 still currently recommends that even fully vaccinated individuals should continue to:
Rav Dr. Aaron Glatt: Covid Update Motzei Shabbos February 27
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt will be giving his Motzei Shabbos
COVID-19 update this week, February 27th, at 8:00 PM
on Zoom & YouTube Live
He will be discussing
1) New Covid-19 vaccines
2) Vaccine availability, and which one to take [...Click headline above for more...]
Motzei Shabbos Covid Update Jan 23
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt will be giving his Motzei Shabbos COVID-19 update this week, January 23 at 7:45 PM on Zoom & YouTube Live
He will be discussing:
1) New information regarding Covid-19 Vaccine efficacy and side effects
2) Update on current vaccine availability
3) New vaccines
4) Covid treatment update
5) Epidemiology update
6) Q & A Session [...Click headline above for more...]
Rav Yitzchak Yosef: New Sefer on Corona and Halacha
Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Yosef shlit”a, Rishon LeTziyon, published a new sefer on halacha in the age of Coronavirus. Click below to download.
ein_yitzhak_corona_5781_05Covid Update: Motzei Shabbos Jan 9
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt will be giving his Motzei Shabbos COVID-19 update this week, January 9 at 7:15 PM on Zoom & YouTube Live
He will be discussing:
1) What more do we now know about the Covid-19 Vaccine?
2) What are the side effects of the Covid-19 Vaccine?
3) When will the vaccine be finally available for “regular” people?
4) Who should be getting monoclonal antibody therapy?
5) How are the hospitals managing with the surge in cases?
6) Q & A Session [...Click headline above for more...]
Covid Update: Motzei Shabbos Dec 26
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt’s Motzei Shabbos COVID-19 update , December 26, at 7:45 PM .
He will be discussing
1) Who Should Take the Covid-19 Vaccine
2) Who Should Not Take the Covid-19 Vaccine
3) Which Vaccine Should I Take?
4) When Will the Vaccine Be Available for Me?
5) What Do the “New Strains” of Covid-19 mean for me?
6) When Will the Need for Masks and Social Distancing Go Away?
7) Q & A Session [...Click headline above for more...]
Shehecheyanu on Corona Vaccine?
See below tshuvos from HaGaon HaRav Asher Weiss shlit”a and HaRav Shlomo Aviner shlit”a on the subject. Both pasken not to say a Shehecheyanu on the vaccine.
Rav Asher Weiss - Vayigash 5781Rav Aviner Beracha on Vaccination
Rav Asher Weiss on Coronavirus Vaccine
Full text:
מקץ - החיסון לקורונה בהלכה
[...Click headline above for more...]