Gadolhadorah

What is the big deal about either postponing the chassanah until later this summer when its fairly obvious that the most stringent rules on gathering s will be relaxed or simply having a barebones ceremony now under the distancing guidelines with just the chasan/kallah/rav and eidim and then hold the big party later when the Simcha halls reopen.

n0meshorah: A 2:1 mix of chicken soup and Lysol or Bleach followed by 30 minutes in a tanning booth has also been shown to have very promising results.
Zelencko’s claims (along with those of several other practitioners with claims) have been widely reported in the media, including here on YWN, Fox News, OAN, etc.
Problem is that NONE of these claims has been backed by ANY verifiable data or even limited blind case profiles redacted for privacy. I’m sure that each of these individuals truly believes in the efficacy of their regimens. Problem is that we don’t prescribe medications of tens of thousand or even larger numbers of very sick individuals, many with underlying health issues, without some degree of verified data, however limited. If Zelenko or others have such data, then they should make it available. So far its just claims. Hopefully, he can find some way to share his case records with some independent experts for verification.
But don’t worry, the President announced today that HE PERSONALLY has taken charge of having a Corona Virus Vaccine available by the end of December.

Doingyourbest. Possibly….if all those who asked for the drug were supporters of a certain political leader who had been hyping the drug and were willing to give their lives to make a political statement. I think you know how silly you mashal is in the context of a any decision on the public health benefits and efficacy of a drug with potentially deadly side effects. Instead, consider the outcome of drug trrials like that announced today for Redesevir which while very preliminary, was still sufficiently well-designed and statically significant so as to allow even the conservative Dr. Fauci to say, “lets go for it” and allow immediate prescribing under supervision.i

CT Lawyer: W’eve discussed the constitutional age issue previously. Neither I nor any rational person believe that Biden would select AOC or anyone on the far left as a running mate and then expect to have a chance in the key electoral states where he has to win over moderate voters who gave Trump his win in 2016. My point was sarcastic in that I’m not sure there is ANYTHING Biden could do or any “moonshot” would be available to him if Trump is able to successfully navigate the pandemic, both medically and economically. Likewise, nothing that Trump could do if we don’t “reopen” soon without a major uptick in the death rate. The virus has become the singular factor in American politics. for the foreseeable future.

All of the governors want to reopen their states ASAP for the SAME reasons you articulate. Aside from the public health concerns, their state budgets are being decimated by lost revenues and massive new expenses, much of which will not be covered by federal grants. Even the Trumpkopf say that each locality must make this decision based on numerical criteria that some states have met and others may need another few weeks. I”l rely on the expert but I think we all look forward to getting back to some semblance of normal.

If you include an exclamation point after the question mark, your comment will go to the head of the line and the Mods will expedite its review and posting.

The CDC plans to issue guidelines within the next week or 10 days regarding summer camp reopening and “best practices” for the Summer 2020 season. While these guidelines will not be mandatory, it is likely that many states including NY, NJ, Connecticut and Pennsylvania will adopt them and perhaps impose even more stringent requirements. Apparently, these guidelines will acknowledge that strict social distancing is impossible in a camp setting but may include many of the items discussed earlier in this thread and include some of the following.
*All campers and staff will have to be tested and show negative results within a short period of arrival
*Start-up dates for camps may be pushed back by several weeks, especially in Southern states where the school-year ends earlier
*The numbers of campers will have to be reduced over ordinary years to allow for some greater degree of social distancing
* The number of campers per bunk will be reduced and bunks reconfigured to maximize distancing
*Meal service and other activities involving large gatherings (minyanim??) will have to be staggered to reduce numbers and allow for more spacing
*cleaning staff will have to be increased substantially will new focus on “wiping down” common surfaces used in group activities
*increased on-site nursing staff to monitor campers and staff health, ability perform immediate testing where any symptoms are suspected
*limits on any offsite activities for campers
*no visiting days for parents and limited on/off property trips for counselors and staff once they arrive
*actions plans for immediate responses in case any campers/staff test positive for virus

Not clear how each state will implement these standards, or in the case of NY/NJ, whether Cuomo and Murphy will even decide to allow camps to reopen under ANY guidelines. If they do, there will be higher costs per camper as a result of fixed costs spread over fewer campers and higher costs to conform to the guidelines.

Good news is that children and teens continue to show lower infection rates and when they contract the virus, fewer complications and quicker recovery. However, most frum camps also have older staff who are at much greater risk so special care will still be needed to protect older rebbeim etc.

Reb Yosef: 78.3 million unique people according to Twitter’s most recent tally of Trump’s followers

JAMA literally just released the results of a clinical study that raises big RED warning flags on variations of this drug (in various formulations) and combinations. Bottom line. No demonstrated efficacy in most patients with Corona 19 with “DEATH” listed as “a primary negative outcome” . JAMA article says it hould be used ONLY in a hospital setting under strict supervision by cardiologists. FDA immediately issued warnings that use by physicians outside of hospitals should be discontinued although they have limited enforcement authority given how much of the drug is now in the hands of doctors and pharmacists.

Again, it MAY be helpful to certain patients under very limited circumstances. but otherwise you might have better outcomes by following Dr. Trumpkopfs other suggestion of pushing the patient in a wheelchair into the hospital parking lot in bright sunlight and injecting him/her with high concentrations of Lysol .
The newly published study can be accessed through the JAMA website and possibly other medical news links.

The OP is a sad manifestation of how stressed many in the tzibur are and in ways that those of us who are fortunate enough not to have economic challenges really don’t comprehend. Sadly, those involved in chinuch at our yeshivas, day-schools, BJs etc. are also among those likely to be economically challenged. Teaching is one of the lowest paid professions and those working in religious schools generally earn even less than the median salary of public school teachers in the same area. They also have families, mortgages and tuition and the same pressures as the OP author. Most, although not all, are still working and find creative ways to continue instruction for families who may not have easy access to broadband and computers or PDAs. Our yeshivos are financially stressed in the best of times and even more so now. Many will have to incur significantly higher costs to address new realities once the schools are allowed to open.
Now is not the time to bash our mosdos for not being more efficient or finding ways to reduce administrative overhead that has been a problem for years.

Yes, if you are serious about each of the multiple criteria you established for such a website. There are some that will satisfy a subset of your criteria, but offhand, I’m not aware of any that will satisfy ALL. of them. It really depends on how flexible you are.

Things I cannot do without: Having the family in the same room for the sedorim…..cannot imagine ever again having to do a seder by ourselves.

FT reporting in the past hour that Gilead terminated its randomized clinical trials of the drug Remdesivir in China since the results did not warrant continuation. This was another one of the drugs touted by the President in his self-proclaimed role of “Good New Donald”. There are still other ongoing studies of this same drug in the U.S. so hopefully they might offer more positive outcomes.
There is a high likelihood that one of these drugs in clinical evaluation will show positive outcomes, but it may take weeks or months. However, promoting individual drugs on the basis of political connections, rumors or “whims” is reckless and dangerous.

Milhouse: We have to go back to another President with a familiar middle name to find precedents for demands of TOTAL and ABSOLUTE fidelity by subordinates. I’m fairly familiar with the facts in this case and it is clear the transfer decision was a direct result of Dr. Brights insistence on using the objective criteria (as required under the appropriations bill language) in the allocation of BARDA grants. Reprogramming funds in response the the whims of a President (especially when all his own experts counsel against it) is contrary to HHS’ own guidelines. There is a process for reprogramming (that you probably are familiar with) that requires prior notice and consultation with the Chairs and ranking members of the relevant appropriations committees. That was not done here.

Lower Tuition”

A relatively high percentage, albeit among those who holdy by Rav Hadaya and other chashavuah rabbonim several decades ago who fervently argued in in favor of establishing a chag marking the establishment of the State of Israel. Similiar support for chag were expressed by Rav Meshulam Roth (a member of the Rabbanut) who wrote about the basis for a chag to celebrate the “geulah” for a large segment of the post-war jewish population in EY. For many rabbonim who held that creating a new chag was NOT contradicted by the Torah’s directive of “lo tosif” , saying hallel is a no-brainer.
For those with an historical interest, there was a great survey article in the Spring 1960 issue of TRADITION, where Rav Meyer Karlin presented an excellent summary of the halachic debate over the status of Yom ha’atzmaut and the arguments (pro and con) regarding the significance of their not being a singular “miracle” analagous to Chanukah etc.

Reb Yosef: Thanks for the clarification. Hopefully, other states will follow the NYS policy but my point was a more global concern. Insurance companies have substantial discretion to cancel policies for non-payment of premiums as long as they strictly adhere to the rules of the insured’s state. In most cases, that requires only one or two warning letters to the address on record, which sometimes may be an insurance broker or agent. Treat your insurance premiums like your home mortgage payment and don’t “assume” you have forbearance for a late payment unless you have confirmation in writing. A mistake can be very costly.

Most of us will be saying chatzi hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut albeit without a minyan this year (except of course in parts of New Jersey with properly distanced porches).

Reb Yosef: Very helpful point. Does the CARE Act provision for deferring premiums with no penalty cover ALL forms of insurance and if so, for how long? I know that a number of insurance companies have offered to allow up to 60 or 90 day grace periods but I wasn’t aware that the statute mandated a blanket deferral for all life, health and P&C lines of coverage. Hopefully the statutory language is fairly broad and does not require individuals to affirmatively seek relief and demonstrate they have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
P.S. A number of auto insurance companies are reducing coverage premiums for 2-3 months since most of us are stuck at home with a rare driving trip to the supermarket. Some are even mailing our “refund” checks while others are crediting the amounts to remaining premiums due.

CT Lawyer flags a related but critical issue that applies across ALL types of insurance. In these periods of financial stress on insurance companies, whether from claims related to life and health as well as property and casualty lines including storms, fires, business interruption etc. they seem even less forgiving regarding “LATE” payments for premiums and grace periods which may be as short as 15 days under some policies. They seem to be looking for any outs to cancel “out of market” policies and a late payment gives them the option to do so. Relying on third parties or brokers to make payments is a risk you need to consider and monitor payments carefully. For large employers, it may not be such a big issue but for smaller employers and those with challenging finances, its a disaster waiting to happen.

Our gadolim, rabbonim and askanim are dropping lies flies and you guys are still debating the intricacies of “porch minyanim” ??? Hashem yarachem.

Not sure why you think life insurance is an “inexpensive” benefit to offer. It might be for a cheder or yeshiva katanah most of whose teachers/assistants are drawn from a younger and healthier demographic, Conversely, some of the yeshivos, kolels etc. employ fairly large numbers of older rebbeim (and moros in some BY’s) where even term insurance premiums may be more costly. Perhaps there could be some centralized purchasing entitiy where the risk pool would be larger and the underwriting for a more age-diverse demographic would lead to lower premiums. Another option used by some secular groups is to offer a “cafeteria program” of benefits where professional employees and staff can choose from a menu of options, including insurance within a given dollar range. In some cases, there are benefits to opting for insurance in lieu of direct salary dollars but each individual case is different and thus the cafeteria plans offer more flexibility. I’m sure we have some CR readers who are more knowledgeable about life insurance and can provide more informed advice.

If you google the term “cycling in Rockland County” you will find 2 or 3 sites listing the multiple trails that are reasonably close. The New York social distancing rules do not prohibit biking or close any bike trails, although in most parts of the state, local governments may restrict groups of bikers that don’t live under the same roof from clustering.

YadleYad: Note that in EY, they will begin allowing OUTSIDE minyanim this week for up to 10 daveners with masks distanced as necessary. I’m not sure how you will get younger kids in a camp setting to follow such guidelines inside and out of their bunks within 60 days from now absent some breakthrough in vaccinations and testing. I’m sure there will be some parents willing to take some risk this summer just to get the kids out of the house, assuming the public health authorities upstate are willing. I’m wondering, however, how anxious Sullivan County will tradeoff the perceived health risks with the economic benefits that flow from yidden from NYC and their kids arriving in two months. Presumably, any relaxation of social distancing limits will be done on a statewide basis with some regional variations so not clear the towns and counties will individually have much control.

If you want to see the future, watch the current WH briefing where in the course of 15 minutes he has contradicted himself repeatedly on just about every issue related to the virus. Yesterday, he insisted each governor should decide how to implement the guidelines for “reopening” their economies. Today he tweeted support for protestors against those governors. And now he just denied that he ever tweeted what is still on Twitter.
Perhaps time for the 25th Amendment?? Can we wait for Inaugeration day??

If you go on Netflix, you will probably find a half dozen grade B scifi movies about pandemics originating among a fish market in China or among chickens at a kapors pop up site in Bnai Brak. There was nothing especially “suspect” about the Gates Foundation and Gates having previously done what are called “table top” or simulation exercises about pandemics.