Rabbi Arye Lev Katzin, Executive Director of RAJE and dean of Sinai Academiy, held the above interview. Dr.Werzberger summarizes it below:

Let's face the facts:

We have a disease that is very contagious. We want to contain it as much as possible. We all remember how it began,what happened after Purim, the ambulances, the sirens, the levayas.

Then the lockdown reduced the cases to almost none. There is no other explanation for what happened.

But then we had weddings, summer camps, ignoring rules. Now there are people sick in every Jewish neighborhood. And it is getting worse. In Israel they have reimposed a lockdown due to soaring morbidity. And the ages are going down. And many of those who recover have ongoing issues - in fact Mount Sinai has a post-Covid department.

There are subtle ways people try to lower our guard. The use of the word "uptick" makes it sound as though it is only a numerical, statistical issue. It is not.

Now we have Sukkot and a week of meals in a closed space. We must not entertain, hard as that is, and even in outdoor venues for prayers, we have to be careful to keep the Yom Kippur rules.

We can do a lot to reduce the danger of infection. It is in our hands. It is what God wants us to do.We guide our lives by loving our neighbors as ourselves, don't we?

Here are the simple, unanimous basic rules that infectious disease physicians are saying:

1. Ask yourself. If you feel sick in any way- any of these forms: a headache, sore throat, insomnia, badly upset stomach, chest pain, shortness of breath, sinuses - stay home! Then get tested.

2.. Maintain 6 feet in every direction between everyone everywhere, except for the people with whom you live.

3. If the mask bothers you, move away from everyone every once in a while and take it off.for a few minutes. Don't push it down when you are with people.

4 . When you don't cover your nose and mouth, you are putting another person at risk.

5. If you don't have fresh air air-conditioning in an indoor space with other people, open the windows every hour or so.

6. Don't congregate

7. Wash your hands well, especially if you use a public restroom or have contact with surfaces that others use, and be sure you don't touch your eyes and mouth until you have done so.

Stay well - you are important! We want your friends and relatives to see you in person when this is over!

Dr. Murray Werzberger is an Internal Medicine Specialist in Brooklyn, NY and has over 34 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Suny Upstate Medical University (Syracuse) medical school in 1986 and is affiliated with Maimonides Medical Center and NYU Langone Health Tisch Hospital.