Massachusetts, Cambridge Insight Meditation Center

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Buddhism, Documents, North America/da diresom

CIMC’s Update on the COVID-19 Coronavirus 3/5/20

In an effort to support the health of our CIMC community, we’d like to address the concern about COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) by providing some helpful guidelines when visiting the Center. We are guided by information provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).
Coronavirus causes a respiratory (lung) infection. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, pneumonia (fluid in the lungs). To date, there has been just one confirmed case of the coronavirus in Massachusetts and Department of Public Health officials state that the risk to residents in Massachusetts remains low.
If you are coughing, sneezing, have or have had a fever, we ask that you stay home. This is the most important action you can take to protect others.
The coronavirus is on people’s minds and even the perception of illness can cause alarm. Please, take care of both yourself and the CIMC community by waiting until you are well to return. CIMC will offer a refund for any program you cannot attend due to illness.
Other preventative measures we strongly encourage to help stop the spread of germs are:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with either a tissue or your inner elbow.
We’re asking those who have traveled to any place the CDC is designating “Level 3” not to visit CIMC until they have been symptom-free for 14 days upon return. Current Level 3 countries are China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea. Please visit the CDC site for the most up to-date information.
At this time, we are not cancelling any CIMC programs due to the coronavirus. We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation as it unfolds and should this change, CIMC will communicate with the community by email and on the “ANNOUNCEMENTS” section of our website homepage.

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The Portland Insight Meditation Center in Portland, Oregon shared the following 20-second handwashing loving-kindness (metta) meditation

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Buddhism, Documents, North America/da diresom

The Portland Insight Meditation Center in Portland, Oregon shared the following 20-second handwashing loving-kindness (metta) meditation on their Facebook page:

USA – Note of Sikh coalition

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Documents, North America/da diresom

12 MARCH 2020

Dear Supporter Ji,

Yesterday, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 (the coronavirus you’ve heard about on the news) is officially a pandemic. Given the heightened concerns about the health of our sangat, the Sikh Coalition asked that I share information and recommendations as it relates to the virus so that our gurdwaras can be better prepared to handle concerns.

I serve as an infectious disease specialist in Southern California. Although we now know more about COVID-19 than we did weeks ago, we still do not fully understand the full clinical picture of the disease. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, and it can result in death. We do know that our elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions or suppressed immunity are especially susceptible.

While it is important to recognize the gravity of COVID-19, we must also take care to not succumb to panic. As an infectious disease specialist, I urge you to share factualinformation from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other reputable health agencies with your sangat. It is also critical that you monitor recommendations made by local, state, and national government agencies, because that information is ever-evolving and is specific to your local community.

To that end, here are several recommendations that I urge you and your gurdwaras to employ.

First, remind your sangat to:

Stay home when you feel sick, and seek medical care sooner rather than later–especially if you have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath.
Avoid sharing food or drinks.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or about what it takes to say mool mantar 3 times).
Refrain from hugs and handshakes as much as possible; address one another with fatehs instead.
Keep bathrooms, sinks, and the gurdwara clean.
Be extra mindful of elders and very young children as related to exposure and symptoms.
Get their flu shots! There is still circulating influenza in the population, and it is a serious respiratory illness–it is not too late for a flu vaccine to be effective.

Second, good habits for your gurdwara include:

Be extra vigilant about langar and parshadpreparation and distribution. Langar and parshadshould only be served after hand hygiene, and strongly consider serving with utensils; consider using an ice cream scoop or something similar to distribute parshad.
Set up a seva schedule to disinfect all surfaces–including the divaan hall, kitchen, langar hall, and bathrooms–before and after every divan.
Employ the same practices for all Khalsa Schools, before and after each class.
Put up signs on how to best wash hands in both English and Punjabi.
Keep clear bins for clean and used rumaals(headscarves), and wash all rumaals every day.
Keep hand sanitizer, food-grade gloves, tissues, and trash cans easily available, and use disposable paper towels.

Finally, you can also consider providing these additional services:

Assemble a committee of healthcare providers who can provide the sangat advice and answer questions.
Conduct a handwashing demonstration at gurdwara.
Share CDC best practices and vetted materials during announcements and through your listserv, and ask people to refrain from impulsively forwarding Whatsapp messages that contain unverified claims.
Monitor recommendations made by your local health departments, as well as state and national government, regarding large gatherings as we prepare for Vaisakhi and other functions.

Be sure to follow the CDC for daily updates, and read the California Department of Health’s Guidelines for Mass Gatherings. The North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association, Sikh Family Center, and other Sikh organizations have issued English and Punjabi guidance for gurdwaras; special thanks to the Sikh Religious Society in Palatine, Illinois for translating that resource, as well as a CDC poster on COVID-19 prevention. You can see the English version of that poster here; consider hanging one or both versions in your gurdwara today.

We hope that this information will help keep your sangats healthy.

In Chardi Kala,
Dr. Jasjit K. Singh

The Sikh Coalition is a civil rights organization and not a public health organization. Like you, the Sikh Coalition is concerned about the impact that COVID-19 is having across the country. We are in consultation with health experts, and have compiled these recommendations from them and reputable health agencies. We are sharing this information out of concern for the sangat, but will not be leading out on any public health work. If you need medical advice or information, the best place to seek it remains your primary care physician and the CDC.

North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association (NASMDA) – Recommendations for Sangat, Sevadars and Gurdwara Management to institute temporary measures to prevent the spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Documents, North America/da diresom

english-recommendations-for-gurdwaras-covid-19-prevention-1.2.pdf

Note of the Michigan Board of Rabbis

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Documents, Judaism, North America, Senza categoria/da diresom

To our Jewish Community—

These are unprecedented times.
The emergence and spread of COVID-19 has introduced a public health crisis that is new to all of us. And while we recognize the need to remain thoughtful and calm, we must also understand that the actions we take now to slow the transmission of this virus will directly impact our collective well-being in the future.
Local and international public health professionals have stressed that proactive measures will truly save lives—and avert a potentially devastating situation in our region. The recent experiences in other nations have proven that “flattening the Coronavirus curve” by slowing transmission can avoid a drain on public health resources from a sudden spike in cases. This can help us ensure that our most vulnerable individuals receive treatment should it become necessary.
Therefore, we are asking our fellow Jewish community members to work together to mitigate the spread of this illness by practicing social distancing and health awareness.
With that in mind, the constituent congregations of the Michigan Board of Rabbis have suspended many of their services, minyanim, classes and other activities for the time being. For specific information and to find out what may be available online, visit your congregation’s website.
We share this news with a heavy heart, understanding that the daily rhythms of our vibrant community have been greatly affected. The unique nature of this threat, however—and the ability we have to alter the course of events through our proactive action—dictate that we must do all we can.
Please know also that your Jewish community is there to support you, especially in times of need. If you or someone you know needs help, please visit JHELP at jhelpdetroit.org to browse services or schedule a call with a team member in the Jewish Family Service Resource Center. As always, we will do our very best to connect you with the services and resources you need.
We will continue to stay in contact with our community as the situation unfolds and recommendations change. While no one knows how long this will last, we look forward to the resolution of the illness and the return of normalcy.
In the meantime, we pray for the wellness of each and every member of our community and offer our deepest gratitude to you, our Jewish community, for helping us through this difficult time.

*Thanks to Prof. Howard Friedman (the author of the Religion Clause Blog) for letting us know this note.

USA – The Guidance of the Rabbinical Assembly for Coronavirus

15 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Documents, Judaism, North America, Senza categoria/da diresom

Updated CJLS Guidance for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

13 MARCH 2020

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/story/updated-cjls-guidance-coronavirus-covid-19

Please find information below from Rabbi Elliot Dorff, CJLS chair, Rabbi Pamela Barmash, CJLS co-chair, Rabbi Joshua Heller, chair of the Rites and Rituals Subcommittee, Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, Chief Executive, and Rabbi Ashira Konigsburg, Chief Operating Officer, providing guidance for individuals and communities affected by Coronavirus. Please note that this is not an official responsum of the CJLS. We expect the CJLS to have conversations on the needs of this crisis and offer additional guidance in the near future.

In response to further queries posed to the CJLS and the Rabbinical Assembly about quarantines and closures of synagogues, schools, and organizations due to the COVID-19 (known as Coronavirus), we urge those whom civil and medical authorities have recommended for closure to follow civil and medical advice. Pikuah nefesh, protecting human life, overrides almost every other Jewish value. Those synagogues that are still having services in person should follow guidelines offered to us by the CDC, including having participants sit at 6 feet apart, sanitizing frequently, and eliminating handshaking, kissing of ritual objects, and other activities that might lead to transmission.

As we are now moving from live streaming services that have a minyan to a period where many buildings are being closed for all gatherings, our precedent states that a minyan requires 10 Jews gathering in person, and it is preferred for people to join a livestream of such a service if they cannot be present themselves.
There is joy and comfort that comes from being together (hevrah). Since many in our communities are looking for ways to connect their community together during this period, we recommend that communities gather a minimal number of people to constitute a minyan in person with a live streaming link. For communities that cannot meet in person, we recommend that they gather virtually to daven on weekdays, even if they do not technically constitute a minyan.
- These virtual gatherings for shaharit, minhah, and ma’ariv may include the regular liturgy without devarim shebakedushah (no barkhu, kedushah, or kaddish). While there is not technically a repetition of the Amidah in the absence of a minyan, the “leader” may choose to recite the Amidah loud enough for others to hear, omitting kedushah, but encouraging congregational singing. This will be helpful to those who may not have ready access to a siddur.
- We recommend an alternative to the recitation of kaddish yatom (Prayers adapted from Lev Shalem and from Masorti Israel)
- The Torah may be read from a printed text, such as a Humash or Bible, without aliyot. The berakhah la’asok b’divrei Torah may be recited before the Torah reading.
- Since many are now at home, separated from their usual school, work, or social communities, communities should offer regularTorah study and/or davenning activities besides the ones at regular minyan times.
For communities that cannot meet in person on Shabbat and holidays, congregational leadership should provide guidance for home davening and Torah study.
Some may not have access to a siddur (or to the siddur that the linked virtual community is using) and may request a pdf. Every attempt should be made to reduce potential violations of Shabbat. Ideally, a PDF could be printed out before shabbat. If this is not possible, a tablet or laptop should be put on airplane mode (before Shabbat starts), and the pdf should not be edited. For halakhah on the use of electrical devices on Shabbat, please see Rabbi Daniel Nevins’ teshuvah: The Use of Electrical and Electronic Devices on Shabbat.
Mourners during shivah will feel the lack of visitors, and communities are urged to extend special care via telephone calls and virtual visits to mourners.
We should be very mindful of the mitzvah of hesed (loving-kindness) and be especially concerned to assist the elderly and infirm in our communities.
Weddings should be postponed, if at all possible. Calligraphed ketubot with the previous intended date of the wedding can be present and on display, but a ketubah with the correct date should be used for the wedding itself.

We pray for healing for those who are ill and for health and wellness for us, our communities, and all people.

The Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) strongly recommend the Muslim community to take precautions

14 Marzo 2020/0 Commenti/in Documents, Islam, North America/da diresom

JOINT COVID STATEMENT

(Also known as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19)

The Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) strongly recommend the Muslim community to take precautions, including but not limited to suspending daily congregational prayers, Sunday school, Jumuah prayers and other gatherings in your communities and mosques temporarily.
The above organizations are making these recommendations after careful shared discussions, review of relevant fiqh, and targeted advice from local, state and national public health authorities, local and national Muslim leaders, and Muslim public health experts who live in our communities.
Protecting human life is one of the fundamental objectives of Islamic Shari’ah. This concept takes precedence over all other objectives of Islamic faith as life represents the foundation of our existence. Therefore, at times, preservation of human life and human rights is far more significant than continuity of even essential practices of devotion.
The Prophet (SAW) gave us specific guidelines to navigate threats to the community such as epidemics. Quarantine, social isolation, travel bans and restriction of select movement, visitations, congregation and socialization are among the precautionary and preventive measures specified in authentic hadith. Fear for one’s safety is a genuine Islamic reason to forgo some of the fundamental Islamic actions and rituals. The Prophet (SAW) relinquished the oath of Islam from a member of Banu Thaqi’f tribe who suffered from Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Therefore, devotional acts such as daily and weekly congregational prayers, including those for funerals, Taraweeh and Eid can be temporarily halted to avoid life-threatening, widespread dangers such as pandemics.
According to FCNA, “ it is our moral duty as Muslims that we take all steps necessary to safeguard ourselves and others around us from this terrible disease. One’s personal desire to do obligatory prayers at the masjid or fulfill other religious duties comes secondary to ensuring the common health of the larger community. Masjids should be protected from bacterial or viral transmission s.”
The global coronavirus pandemic (also known as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) is a serious threat to public health. It has the potential to spread rapidly and impact large populations. For vulnerable individuals (elderly, existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, immunocompromised state), this disease also has a potentially high mortality rate.
From both an Islamic and public health perspective, it is totally reasonable for the community to take aggressive measures temporarily to reduce transmission of the virus, including temporarily:

Canceling congregational prayers
Canceling “Sunday school” or halaqas
Limiting meetings or utilizing web conferencing
Canceling conferences and social gatherings

Social distancing is one of the key concepts to reduce the spread of this potentially deadly disease, and hence, we advise individuals to observe the following measures to contain the spread of the virus:

Those who are sick and have any symptoms of illness must avoid going to crowded public places.
Frequent hand-washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Use hand sanitizers.
Cover your nose and mouth with a single-use tissue (throw out after using and wash hands immediately afterwards) or use your flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing.
Mosques should take extra precautions, like the availability of sanitizers, frequent scrubbing, and disinfecting areas of worship.
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
Do not shake hands, embrace, or kiss others, especially those who are sick and if you are sick.

The organizations referenced here who have developed this statement do not take lightly the seriousness of these recommendations. It is only in the most extreme circumstances that we would demand these measures be taken. We agree that the current situation with the novel coronavirus is one of those circumstances.
IMANA, AMHP, ISNA and FCNA will meet regularly to consult key medical, public health, and fiqh experts to support our communities. We are working together to compile the most pertinent and essential information. Please visit http://www.imana.org/covid-19 for additional resources, our latest recommendations, and full statement from Fiqh Council of North America. You can email covid@amhp.us for questions and concerns.
Last but not least, we are reminded of trials and tribulations from Allah (SWT) and must continuously pray to Him for safety and protection from all illness, for guidance to follow His way, and for success in this life and the next. During these stressful times, all believers should find comfort in this verse: “ Say: Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us! And He is our Protector; let the believers put their trust in Him! ”

Sincerely,Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA)American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA)