Wiener Zeitung, July 21, 2020
German original: https://www.wienerzeitung.at/meinung/blogs/juedisch-leben/2068720-In-Synagogen-ist-wieder-Maske-zu-tragen.html
It recently became known that a handful of Community members were infected with the virus – now a spread in Jewish institutions and synagogues has to be prevented.
The crisis team of the Jewish Community Vienna (IKG) had their hands full again over the past couple of days. After it became known over the weekend that a few Community members were infected with Coronavirus, the Community leadesrhip will now do everything to prevent formation of a cluster in synagogues or Jewish organizations like kindergartens or school summer camps, as Benjamin Nägele, the secretary general of the IKG Vienna and a representative of the crisis team pointed out on Tuesday. Currently, about a handful of Community members are infected with the virus, according to what is known right now they got infected in a private setting. All who tested positive are currently in quarantine; they all have been exhibiting mild symptoms so far.
What the Jewish Community has been concerned about since the beginning of the pandemic: making provisions so that no infections occur during prayer in synagogues or in other Jewish organizations, most importantly in the Maimonides Zentrum (MZ), the Community’s retirement home. So far this has been successful; there were a few single infections and so far only one death during the pandemic’s early days – during spring, an elderly community member died of Covid-19. Now the crisis team has decided to reinforce the Corona-based measures in order to ensure that things stay that way.
Starting Tuesday, masks have to be worn in all closed rooms: this includes synagogues and places of prayer, as well as Jewish shops and kosher supermarkets and restaurants (guests can remove the mask once seated at the table). Face shields are not an appropriate alternative, as they do not offer adequate protection, it is pointed out. And masks only offer protection if everybody wears one. In addition, Community members are asked to keep a distance to persons outside of their household: specifically, 1.5 meters, and not just inside, but also outdoors.
Furthermore, Nägele points out that everything is done to determine possible contacts of those who tested positive and to test them as well. Among those concerned are children, as well as adults and older persons. This also mirrors the development in Austria and in Europe, says the IKG secretary general: after the end of the shutdown and the easing of measures, the number of infections is increasing slightly again. Therefore, also the Jewish Community now wants to react swiftly and take countermeasures.