Afraid to attend megilla tonight

amother

OP ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 8:54 am

Is everyone just going to shul as usual this Purim? I’m nervous that in a day or two they’ll say someone at shul was tested positive and then we’ll have to self quarantine. Would wearing a mask to shul change anything?

watergirl

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:01 am

Yes, wearing a mask would change something. It makes it impossible for the sick who need the masks to get them. We have been asked not to purchase masks. The supply is diminished.

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:05 am

watergirl wrote:

Yes, wearing a mask would change something. It makes it impossible for the sick who need the masks to get them. We have been asked not to purchase masks. The supply is diminished.

Ok, you’re right. So my next question: if someone at a shul ends up testing positive, do all the people who attended that shul for megilla have to self quarantine?

Goldie613 ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:15 am

If you are concerned, maybe go to a smaller shul/shteibel so there will be less people there. Another option - get there a bit early so you can take a seat at the back or off to the side so you are not on top of others.

I know of at least one opinion that said that if you are in quarantine you can hear it over the phone. If you normally wouldn't go out right now maybe you can rely on that too, but you may have to ask a shiela. One shul notified their members that if people are worried about going out (because older, immune compromised, etc) they would try to send readers in to them.

The point is, yes, there are some people and shuls making modifications, but I think most of us are going to be going to shul.

Elfrida

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:15 am

Probably.

If you are not in a high risk group (elderly, immune supressed) the actual risk is relatively small. Its just the nuisance and stress of quarantine that us the problem.

Esther took a much greater risk - כאשר עבדתי אבדתי

If you feel safer, you can sit outside the (open) doors or under a window and hear it that way. If the womens section is separate enough that might be a factor. Or go a small reading for women later in the evening.

↑ Goldie613 ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Ok, you’re right. So my next question: if someone at a shul ends up testing positive, do all the people who attended that shul for megilla have to self quarantine?

I'm not a medical professional, but I would guess probably - isn't that why so many people in Westchester/New Rochelle are in quarantine, because they were at the same simcha, shul etc as someone who has it?

amother

Mint

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:20 am

watergirl wrote:

Yes, wearing a mask would change something. It makes it impossible for the sick who need the masks to get them. We have been asked not to purchase masks. The supply is diminished.

Maybe some of us already have boxes in our house

amother

↑ Azure ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:39 am

amother [ Khaki ] wrote:

rockland has now 4 cases
more cases in westchster
news 12 westchester ny

Why are you posting every day the amount of cases in every post? It just creates more panic we cant overturn our lives because of this virus. Yes of course we have to do our hishtadlus and daven but we cant do much more

FranticFrummie

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:45 am

The average hospital mask is rated for .03m particles. The virus is .01m. That means that the holes in the mask are 3 times larger than the virus.

Imagine a doorway 3 times larger than you are. Sure, you could make a run for the doorway and miss, but do you want to really rely on those odds?

Tissue paper and handkerchiefs are also not reliable to contain coughs and sneezes. The virus will go right through and still get on your hands.

The only thing masks and tissues are good for, is to protect others from your projectile emission of the virus - somewhat. It cuts down a the risk a little bit, but not entirely. Don't be complacent!

Amarante ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 9:52 am

Best way to protect yourself is to try to not touch your face because the most likely way to catch virus is to touch surface and then your face. That is why hand sanitizer used often is so important because we are always touching surfaces.

You should also think about carrying Clorox wipes to use when you use a communal surface like a shopping cart handle.

Don’t forget to clean your phone especially the surface since it has a surface that can carry the virus and then to your fingers and then to your face. There are special electronic wipes because you don’t want to harm the phone with alcohol or other cleaning agents not meant for the phone.

I have read that some Shuls are using precautionary measures like having the challah presliced to minimize hand contamination if it is torn. Also asking people not to kiss the Torah.

amother

↑ Azure ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:05 am

Amarante wrote:

they say hand sanitizer doesn't either work

↑ Amarante

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:17 am

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

they say hand sanitizer doesn't either work

I have not read that. What I read is that 70% alcohol solution is effective at killing the virus as it disrupts the membrane.

Hand sanitizers have 70% alcohol.

Using sanitizer is a reasonable precaution.

amother

↑ Azure

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:24 am

Amarante wrote:

I read an article that hand sanitizers don't work effectively. Drs and nurses only use hand sanitizers in hospitals (and not soap and water) and they say thats why patients easily get sick with other diseases while inpatient.

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:24 am

OP - I get you. At this point I'm more fearful of being told to self-quarantine then getting sick.

The irony is the only way to avoid the former is to self-quarantine.

amother

↑ Khaki ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:31 am

on the young isreal of scarsdale site it says kids should not come to shul since they are carriers
the young isreal of new rochelle was closed down by dept of health

amother

↑ Khaki ↓

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 10:37 am

the ou online has guide lines about hearing the megillah .
chabad of westchster will be reading the megillah to those who are in self quarantined by saying it
10 feet away from the door to the 1000 members of young isreal of new rochelle who want to hear it
to read more about it go to chabad.org

amother

Lemon

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 12:40 pm

My coworker was in shul on shabbat and got exposed. He's now in quarantine.
Our family read the megillah with a live stream over the internet. We are not going to shul this Purim.
There are many poskim in Israel who said this is absolutely acceptable.