It’s like we’re reliving early March. We could have made the same points then – sure the news media is talking about people getting sick and dying in China, Italy and Spain, but from my window in Brooklyn I don’t see anybody getting sick. In fact, we’re finding out that the virus was in New York, although not yet spreading out of control. It seems that some people are more contagious than others. So maybe that one person who flies from LA doesn’t infect anyone else, and maybe we’ve gone a few weeks with low levels of transmission, but as long as anyone from a state experiencing a surge can come to New York, it’s way too early to declare victory. You would think we’d be wiser with the benefit of hindsight, but evidently not. Acting like we’re somehow invincible because no you know is sick right now, or deluding ourselves into thinking the frum community is an insular herd such that we can have immunity while rest of society gets sick, only increases the chances that we’ll be forced to relive the trauma of March and April. If it comes back (and scientists say when not if), we won’t know it until after it’s spreading. Today could be a critical day, or maybe next week or next month, but we won’t know until a few weeks later. Do your parents and grandparents a favor and act like you care if they live.
Menu