Interesting Psak: gentile doctor in yeshiva for Yom Kippur

Based on the psak of Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein, rav of the Ramat Elchonon neighborhood of Bnei Braq, Dr Tzion Schlossberg, a Haredi family doctor in Bnei Braq, sent a letter, signed on by Rav Zilbershtein, of instruction to various yeshivas with Corona infected bachurim as to how to behave on Yom Kippur.

Dr Schlossberg says there are now 2500 infected bachurim in Israel. Even though many will have light symptoms or even no symptoms for a few days and 80% will heal with no trace remaining, 5% will have symptoms for a longer period of time and another 5% will get a more serious version of it. I would note that this only adds up to 90%, but ok.

Dr Schlossberg says despite that, it is now known that the disease causes clots in the vascular system and affects organs, such as the lungs and the kidneys, along with other parts of the body, and for a long time people complain about exhaustion, achy joints, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, cough, etc.

Nobody knows in advance who will get a light case and who will get a serious case, and nobody should approach it as trying to get the disease to get it over with.

So:

1.  Somebody Corona positive with light illness from it, after 2-3 days of no longer having symptoms can fast on Yom Kippur. He should drink a lot on Erev Yom Kippur

2. Somebody who had more significant symptoms or continues to have symptoms should ask a rav privately about drinking bshiurin

3. Somebody currently positive and does not yet know if it will develop into serious symptoms or not, should get intravenously supplied liquids during Yom Kippur. If that is not possible, he should drink bitter water (without shiurim, drink 4 tea bags of chamomile tea in a cup of hot water every 15 minutes - sounds impossible). If that's not possible drink bshiurin as dehydration can cause complications with the disease.

4. someone sick with significant symptoms should not fast if it might become dangerous. If possible, he should be given intravenous fluids. If not possible, he can drink regularly

5. someone sick admitted to the hospital should not fast. If possible, IV fluids. if not, drink

6. someone who had been sick with significant symptoms or was hospitalized during the past month, should get IV fluids if possible, and if not drink bitter waters unlimited. If that's not possible, drink bshiurin

Rav Zilbershtein added that any yeshiva that has Corona-positive students would be doing good to bring a doctor, preferably not Jewish, in to be in the yeshiva over Yom Kippur to deal with the IVs and to deal with any health questions that might arise over Yom Kippur. He said that Rav Akiva Eigar instructed the town of Pozna during a plague to have two doctors present the entire day, as it is difficult to give general instructions for Yom Kippur, and no case should be kept secret no matter how light the case seems to be.

source: Hamechadesh

good health to all, and gmar chasima tova

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