Blog

Dear Members of the TI Community,

We are thrilled to welcome you back to the building to experience live Shabbat and lifecycle events.  The phased reemergence has, in general, gone smoothly, and quickly it begins to seem normal to have people in seats. One question that does keep arising is “why the masks?”. Unfortunately, Covid-19 remains in the community, and continues to pose a serious risk to those who either are not immunized or are immunocompromised (e.g., individuals receiving chemotherapy or with autoimmune disorders).

Currently, there is no approved vaccine for children under 12 years old. While the pediatric population has not been as severely affected by Covid-19 as high-risk adults, as of April 29, 3.8 million children have been infected during the pandemic, and currently account for almost 25% of hospital admissions. Furthermore, Covid-19 can cause severe illness in children; a recent study from the CDC reported that almost 1/3 of children admitted to the hospital for Covid-19 are in the intensive care unit with severe lung and heart involvement. There have been at least 322 deaths in the U.S. documented in children, and this is probably an underestimate. Only in the face of 600,000 total deaths does this number seem small.

Both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics continue to urge a comprehensive strategy for the prevention of COVID-19 among the unvaccinated, and this includes masking when indoors. It is important to remember that while masks may provide some small protective effect for the person wearing the mask, the real beneficiaries are those within the arc of the person wearing the mask. In short, we wear masks to protect those around us.

Temple Israel prides itself on being a caring, inclusive community, one that welcomes and embraces individuals and families from all backgrounds. What message are you sending to families with young children when you refuse to wear a mask?

David Weinstein, MD
Burt I. Bromberg, MD
Co-chairs, Temple Israel Reemergence Task Force

For the most up-to-date rules and guidelines to know prior to attending a service at Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org/Reopening