Apparently many families have started spending Shabbosim in upstate New York as the weather has improved. Several of those families contacted me today after witnessing the following in a variety of circumstances.

In just one example, families went to a particular development where there was clearly minimal social distancing going on. This included an indoor minyan where at least one high-risk gentleman attended. He was well over the age of 70 years old. When confronted about the issue, those organizing the minyan expressed that the rules established in downstate (i.e Brooklyn or other communities) do not apply to upstate. When families come together in the setting of a multi-family development or bungalow colony there is clearly not going to be compliance with social distancing and children going into others homes etc…

As far as minyan is concerned whether indoors or outdoors, the rabbonim have clearly paskened in cooperation with virtually every physician in the Jewish world. Ignoring the issue of Pikuach Nefesh and possibly increasing community spread at such a critical time is foolish and selfish. In addition, it is contrary to current halachic rulings. The common response of restricting a minyan to only “young, healthy people” is not a solution.

Community transmission of this highly contagious infection is spread through healthy carriers innocently but effectively. Recent surveillance data from the NYS Department of Health has confirmed that in the five boroughs, the number of those already infected is currently 21%. Those in the less population dense areas of upstate are at 13.5%. The community surveillance incidence of COVID positivity is 30%. This means that 30% of people walking around, whether in upstate or in the five boroughs, has COVID and likely have minimal to no symptoms.

There is similar data in New Jersey. You can spread this disease whether in upstate or in our five boroughs. Transplanting yourselves to another geographic region simply adds to the case loads in those less affected areas, but they won’t remain less affected for long if you persist in this behavior.

The other point is that the state can only re-open our society here in New York and New Jersey once certain epidemiological milestones are achieved and sustained. All over the world and even in municipalities in the United States where mitigation was released too soon, there have been large rebounds of cases. Your behavior upstate WILL impact what happens in the long run and could potentially add to the numbers in a negative fashion and delay opening of our society.

In closing, why would anybody risk infecting another person even by accident? If the elderly gentleman in the shul in upstate comes down with COVID, he likely has a 11-15% chance of succumbing to COVID depending on his risk factors (Chas V’Shalom). In addition, the 50 year old with type 2 diabetes, the 48 year old with high blood pressure, or the 55 year old with obesity have similar risk factors for fatal outcomes (Chas V’Shalom). Even worse is the mechanism of death-gasping for air, requiring ICU care, being alone in an ICU setting for weeks or months. Is that really what you want on your conscience? Is that really worth being judged for after 120?

Please listen to this plea and change your ways. The rules apply in upstate and downstate equally.

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