Dear Parents,
As you are well aware, Yeshiva sent home a request for consent to test for COVID last week along with a standard consent form. We would like to firstly apologize that we sent a standard consent form as opposed to a specific for COVID testing. This was an oversight on our part.
As this has very quickly been made into a contentious topic and due to the potential massive ביטול תורה דרבים involved, we would like to share with you the basic information as we know it with the hope that it will provide clarity.
The Governor released the “Road to Recovery” in June as a guide for the opening of the State of NJ. In that plan there were clear benchmarks with regards to what warrants shutting down schools and businesses. The benchmark that determines if a community is in “pandemic” phase is when 20% of tests taken, produce positive results. Lakewood was at 29% before Yom Tov. The Governor’s office was contemplating closing down Lakewood and reached out to the askanim in town with great concerns about Lakewood’s positivity rate. It is worth noting that at the same time, all towns around Lakewood were maintaining a rate of 1-2%.
In response to this, the Igud Rabonim and Igud Mosdos sent out a message asking everyone without symptoms to test. This had the intended results and brought the rate down to 14% by Isru Chag. This was enough of a change that the Governor backed off and was willing to allow the mosdos to stay open. However, the Health Commissioner made it clear that this is contingent on an ongoing effort to test students. The intent of this is to show that we care and are working with them. They delivered 20,000 tests to Lakewood after Yom Tov to help assist with the testing efforts.
Bikur Cholim and Chemed are both recognized by the state as valid testing agents. Bikur Cholim uses a company called Vault medical Services. Chemed does not administer a saliva test which is why Yeshiva opted to go with Bikur Cholim. There are a few points worth noting:
· The consent forms that were sent out are held by yeshiva and are not given over to the medical company
· The tester that comes down to Yeshiva is never in any secluded area. All tests are done with the Menahel or his representative present.
· The consent forms were generic and did not specify that it was for a covid test. This was a mistake and is being corrected. Attached is a simpler corrected version.
· Since this company has a State contract, the State is aware that Yeshiva is providing tests and is therefore comfortable with our commitment to conform with their requests, thereby allowing us to stay open
· By law, the Governor was able to close us down before Yom Tov and he chose not to. The only reason that he did not copy Gov. Cuomo is because of the relationship that has been cultivated by hard working askonim, namely R’ Meir Lichtenstein and R’ Avi Schnall who spent the entire Yom Tov negotiating successfully.
In summation, if we do not comply with their request to test, they will shut us down so long as there are positive cases in Lakewood. In the past week since Yom Tov there have been approximately 500 positive cases in Lakewood. This was a result of symptomatic people who have been going to doctors. While this number is lower than it was during Yom Tov, it is still high enough to warrant government intervention. We are hopeful that the positivity rate will continue to decline in the city and we will be able to remain open. However, we need to do our part especially since the Governor has proven that he is willing to work with us.
May we be zocheh to be able to remain open the entire year and to be מרבה קיום העולם with the zechus of the הבל פיהם של תינוקות של בית רבן.
