Joint statement from Rav Avraham baroukh pevzner chlita and Dr Moshe abergel.
Given the current epidemic situation and especially the resurgence of cases in recent days, the following points should be noted.
On the one hand, fasting, through dehydration, weakens a person’s immune defenses, especially as a heat wave is expected for this week. On the other hand, the public authorities are warning us against an upsurge of the virus at present. Therefore, we establish the following rules for this fast. The following people are automatically exempt from the young person:
-All those who have been hospitalized with or without going to intensive care.
– Those who have suffered a pulmonary form of covid with shortness of breath and who have required close monitoring at home by their doctor.
– Those who have had a severe or prolonged influenza form, with persistence of sequelae symptoms until today.
-Those who have tested positive in recent weeks (especially if the serology is negative) even in the absence of symptoms.
-People with flu-like symptoms the days before the fast and awaiting biological sample results (PCR).
-People at risk of covid-19, namely: unbalanced diabetics, unbalanced hypertension, requiring close monitoring for the 2 previous cases, chronic cardiac or pulmonary or renal patients.
people undergoing chemotherapy, immunosuppressant and heavy treatment and finally obese people (BMI> 35Kg / M2).
All of these people should absolutely not attempt to fast.
It is recalled in the halacha, that at the base, this fast was not instituted for the ailing people.
However, it is advisable to have breakfast at the usual time (for example 8:30 am) in order to have a few hours of fasting from the Nets (sunrise at 6:16 am).
All other sick people, the elderly, pregnant women, women who have recently given birth, breastfeeding and non-at-risk people who feel ill should consult their rav after advice from the attending physician.
It should be noted that the fast takes precedence over the other elements of this day (Tefillah with miniane, kinot, kriat hatorah Etc); in other words, it is better to stay at home and fast rather than to go to the schoul, to expend energy in the miniane, kinot etc and to have to interrupt the fast.
All the people, who have to eat, will observe the shiour by eating 25 g of solid or by drinking 40 ml of liquid in more than 4 min (one or the other to be consumed separately).
It will then be advisable to start by melting one or two sugars under the tongue with a little water.
This year, it will be allowed and even recommended to wash your hands completely with soap, more effective than rubbing with hydroalcoholic gel also authorized
Fast of 9 Av and covid-19
