vaccine mandate for indoor venues started on tuesday
Delta variant was driving Covid-19 cases in New York… i read through some of a recent study by the New York State dept of health published by the cdc, and of course i’m not a doctor or scientist, but i could certainly find the sections about vaccinated vs unvaccinated.
In the time period covered by the research study, may 3-july 25, there were 9,675 new cases among fully vaccinated adults. That’s 1.31 per 100,000 person-days. Among unvaccinated adults, there were 38,505 new cases, or 10.69 per 100,000 person days.
The hospitalization rates are even more stark - 1,271 new covid hospitalization, but only 0.17 hospitalizations per 100,000 person-days for fully vaccinated adults, compared with 7,308 new hospitalization for unvaccinated adults, 2.03 per 100,000 person days.
These are the numbers that have compelled New York City to mandate that those who are 12 and older will be required to show proof of having received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to participate in New York City’s indoor dining, fitness or entertainment venues starting last tuesday.
The Mayor said he is “absolutely certain this is going to motivate a lot of people to get vaccinated,” and i hope he’s right.
Businesses will be required to hang posters describing the mandate near their entrances and those that do not comply will be subject to fines.
Understandably, Exceptions can be made to allow customers to use the bathroom, or to enter the premises for a few minutes for other reasons.
As of Monday, more than 10 million doses of the vaccine had been administered in New York City, which the mayor cited as proof that vaccination incentives and mandates have been effective.
“We know that this is going to reach hundreds of thousands of people, convince them it’s time,” Mr. de Blasio said. “Just buy into this, because it’s going to work for all of us. It’s going to make us all safer.”
Delta variant was driving Covid-19 cases in New York… i read through some of a recent study by the New York State dept of health published by the cdc, and of course i’m not a doctor or scientist, but i could certainly find the sections about vaccinated vs unvaccinated.
In the time period covered by the research study, may 3-july 25, there were 9,675 new cases among fully vaccinated adults. That’s 1.31 per 100,000 person-days. Among unvaccinated adults, there were 38,505 new cases, or 10.69 per 100,000 person days.
The hospitalization rates are even more stark - 1,271 new covid hospitalization, but only 0.17 hospitalizations per 100,000 person-days for fully vaccinated adults, compared with 7,308 new hospitalization for unvaccinated adults, 2.03 per 100,000 person days.
These are the numbers that have compelled New York City to mandate that those who are 12 and older will be required to show proof of having received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to participate in New York City’s indoor dining, fitness or entertainment venues starting last tuesday.
The Mayor said he is “absolutely certain this is going to motivate a lot of people to get vaccinated,” and i hope he’s right.
Businesses will be required to hang posters describing the mandate near their entrances and those that do not comply will be subject to fines.
Understandably, Exceptions can be made to allow customers to use the bathroom, or to enter the premises for a few minutes for other reasons.
As of Monday, more than 10 million doses of the vaccine had been administered in New York City, which the mayor cited as proof that vaccination incentives and mandates have been effective.
“We know that this is going to reach hundreds of thousands of people, convince them it’s time,” Mr. de Blasio said. “Just buy into this, because it’s going to work for all of us. It’s going to make us all safer.”
Here in BC…
Vaccine passports for non-essential services in B.C.
In workplaces, sporting events, concerts, and faith services, people may be required to show proof of vaccination.
B.C.'s top doctor emphasized that "it is going to have an impact on your ability to do some of those things that you may want to do...attending a sports game is a good example."
Businesses will need to make their own decisions in conjunction with their lawyer labour advisors. She said employers are "absolutely" within their rights to require employees to be vaccinated: "That is a business decision."
Faith leaders should encourage "only immunized people" to attend services, added Henry.
"Those are decisions that faith leaders, communities, church groups, choirs, make for themselves; they don't need an order from me to do that."
Vaccine passports for non-essential services in B.C.
In workplaces, sporting events, concerts, and faith services, people may be required to show proof of vaccination.
B.C.'s top doctor emphasized that "it is going to have an impact on your ability to do some of those things that you may want to do...attending a sports game is a good example."
Businesses will need to make their own decisions in conjunction with their lawyer labour advisors. She said employers are "absolutely" within their rights to require employees to be vaccinated: "That is a business decision."
Faith leaders should encourage "only immunized people" to attend services, added Henry.
"Those are decisions that faith leaders, communities, church groups, choirs, make for themselves; they don't need an order from me to do that."
Connection to this in the parashah…
כִּ֤י תִבְנֶה֙ בַּ֣יִת חָדָ֔שׁ וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מַעֲקֶ֖ה לְגַגֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֤ים דָּמִים֙ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־יִפֹּ֥ל הַנֹּפֵ֖ל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.
The talmud uses this verse in nine different places! Often giving us more lessons about making sure our homes are safe places for others
מדרבי נתן דתניא רבי נתן אומר מניין שלא יגדל אדם כלב רע בתוך ביתו ואל יעמיד סולם רעוע בתוך ביתו ת"ל (דברים כב, ח) לא תשים דמים בביתך
as it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Natan says: From where is it derived that one may not raise a vicious dog in his house, and one may not set up an unstable ladder in his house? The verse states: “You shall not bring blood into your house” - (Deuteronomy 22:8),
rabbi steinsaltz explains: i.e., one may not allow a hazardous situation or item to remain in one’s house. As long as the hazard remains, the owner is in violation of this verse and therefore the court may excommunicate him for failing to remove the danger.
גמ׳ תנו רבנן המשכיר בית לחבירו משכיר חייב להעמיד לו דלתות לפתוח לו חלונות לחזק לו תקרה לסמוך לו קורה ושוכר חייב לעשות לו סולם לעשות לו מעקה לעשות לו מרזב ולהטיח את גגו
GEMARA: The Sages taught in a baraita: If one rents out a house to another, the landlord bears the responsibility to install doors for it, to open windows in its walls to provide light for it, to strengthen its ceiling, and to support its cross beam. And the renter bears the responsibility to make a ladder for it to provide access to the roof, to erect a parapet for its roof (see Deuteronomy 22:8), to construct a gutter for it to carry away rain which falls on the roof, and to plaster its roof so that rain does not leak through it.
מעקה אע"ג דכתב רחמנא (דברים כב, ח) לגגך דידך אין דשותפות לא
Similarly, with regard to the obligation of establishing a parapet around a roof, Rabbi Ilai concedes that the joint owners of a roof are obligated, even though the Merciful One writes: “When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof [legaggekha],” using the singular pronoun, “and you shall not bring blood upon your house, if any man falls from there” (Deuteronomy 22:8). One might have inferred from the singular form that with regard to your roof, yes, one is obligated, whereas with regard to that which is owned in partnership one is not obligated.
כתב רחמנא (דברים כב, ח) כי יפול הנופל ממנו
Therefore, the Merciful One writes: “If any man falls from there,” indicating that wherever the danger of falling from the roof exists, there is an obligation to erect a parapet.
ואיזוהי מצות עשה שלא הזמן גרמא מזוזה מעקה אבידה ושילוח הקן
And what is a positive mitzva that is not time bound? Examples include the affixing of a mezuza (Deuteronomy 11:20), the construction of a parapet on a roof (Deuteronomy 22:8), returning a lost item (Deuteronomy 22:1–3), and the release of the mother bird from the nest, i.e., the mitzva of sending away a mother bird when one finds it sitting on chicks or eggs (Deuteronomy 22:6–7).
אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה: לְעוֹלָם יְבַקֵּשׁ אָדָם רַחֲמִים שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱלֶה, שֶׁאִם יֶחֱלֶה אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הָבֵא זְכוּת וְהִפָּטֵר. אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא: מַאי קְרָאָה? — ״כִּי יִפּוֹל הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ״ — מִמֶּנּוּ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: ״כִּי יִפּוֹל הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ״ (מִמֶּנּוּ) — רָאוּי זֶה לִיפּוֹל מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נָפַל, וְהַכָּתוּב קְרָאוֹ ״נוֹפֵל״. אֶלָּא, שֶׁמְגַלְגְּלִין זְכוּת עַל יְדֵי זַכַּאי וְחוֹבָה עַל יְדֵי חַיָּיב.
In a similar vein, Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, said: A person should always pray that he will not become ill, as if he becomes ill they say to him: Bring proof of your virtue and exempt yourself. It is preferable for a person not to be forced to prove that he merits staying alive, as he might not be able to prove it.
At the end of the day, it’s all about Pikuach nefesh… saving a life. Whether it’s a company or organization or a city or province mandating masks or vaccines or social distancing, it’s in the interest of saving as many lives as possible.
Pikuach nefesh, saving a life, is such a high and revered mitzvah in judaism that it pushes aside almost any other commandment… if i have to buy a raft on shabbat to go paddle out to an island to give someone bacon to save them from starvation, i go ahead. If i have to drive an hour on Yom Kippur to save someone, i go ahead. If i have to hold my son down while they stick that thing down his nose halfway to his brain so they can see if he has covid, i hold him even though he’s screaming at the top of his lungs.
And when vaccines get approved for 5-11 year olds, which i imagine will happen next and hopefully soon, I’ll be holding down my five year old while he screams angrily at me… because saving his life, and the hundreds who might come in contact with him, is what’s most important.
Pikuach nefesh, saving a life, is such a high and revered mitzvah in judaism that it pushes aside almost any other commandment… if i have to buy a raft on shabbat to go paddle out to an island to give someone bacon to save them from starvation, i go ahead. If i have to drive an hour on Yom Kippur to save someone, i go ahead. If i have to hold my son down while they stick that thing down his nose halfway to his brain so they can see if he has covid, i hold him even though he’s screaming at the top of his lungs.
And when vaccines get approved for 5-11 year olds, which i imagine will happen next and hopefully soon, I’ll be holding down my five year old while he screams angrily at me… because saving his life, and the hundreds who might come in contact with him, is what’s most important.