COVID Policy Summary
Surgical masks for adults and children are available for any who want, as well as N95 respirators.
Isolation Protocol: if you test positive
- It is important to notify any individuals you were in close contact with 2 days prior to your test, or your symptoms developing. Please contact the shul and we can help you identify any members who may fit that criteria.
- You need to isolate from other individuals for a period of 10 days or more, depending on your symptoms. Please read the CDC guidelines on how symptoms may affect the timing, and for tips on how to isolate effectively from others who live with you at home.
Quarantine Protocol: If you're notified you were in close contact with someone who tested positive
The quarantine protocol depends on your vaccination status.
- Unvaccinated members need to quarantine for 10 days, or 7 days with a negative COVID test on day 5 or later. If you develop symptoms switch to the isolation protocol.
- Vaccinated members do NOT need to quarantine unless they have symptoms, and should get tested on day 3-5 after the exposure. They DO NEED to wear a mask in public for 14 days, or until they receive a negative test. If you develop symptoms or test positive switch to the isolation protocol.
Enforcement
Members and guests are trusted to abide by our regulations without supervision or surveillance.
Definitions
Isolation- Staying away from others once you are positive.
Quarantine- Staying away from others when you might have been exposed.
Close contact- within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period.
Recent prior COVID infection- CDC guidelines are that the vaccine and a COVID infection provide similar protection for a minimum of 90 days.
Additional Details
- If you feel unwell please don’t come to shul.
- If you suffer from regular allergies, sinus issues, asthma, bronchitis, etc… that cause coughing and sneezing be sensitive to those around you and wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.
- If you have any relevant studies or scientific data that you would like us to be aware of when evaluating the policy, please contact us.
Studies comparing Vaccine-acquired and Infection-acquired immunity
There is growing evidence that infection-acquired immunity can be longer lasting, and possibly superior to vaccine-acquired immunity. Please contact us if you would like to apply for an exemption after 90 days.
British Medical Journal
“Vaccinating people who have had covid-19: why doesn’t natural immunity count in the US?”
https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2101
Science
“Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection”
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf4063
JAMA Internal Medicine
“Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection 1 Year After Primary Infection in a Population in Lombardy, Italy”
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2780557
Lancet
“SARS-CoV-2 infection rates of antibody-positive compared with antibody-negative health-care workers in England: a large, multicentre, prospective cohort study (SIREN)”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33844963/
Reviews in Medical Virology
“Quantifying the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection over time”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34043841/
Preprint
“Comparing SARS-CoV-2 natural immunity to vaccine-induced immunity: reinfections versus breakthrough infections”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.21262415v1
Preprint
“Necessity of COVID-19 vaccination in previously infected individuals”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.01.21258176v3