SARS: What To Look For And What To Avoid

Pearls of Wisdom Posted 5/21/2003 By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser 
"If your brother becomes impoverished and his means diminish, you shall strengthen him...." (Vayikra 25:35)

It is interesting to note that this verse is located in close proximity to the mitzvah of Shmittah. It is during Sabbatical year that a person begins to implant in his heart emunah and bitachon (faith) in Hashem.

The Kehilas Yitzchok comments: we are afraid that when a poor person comes to ask for help, the potential donor will reply, "Have faith in Hashem and He will provide for you." Therefore, the Torah says, "you shall strengthen him." We thus learn that in addition to the mitzvah of having faith in Hashem, there is also the mitzvah of helping and providing assistance in a tangible way.

In recent weeks, I have been asked what measures one should take to protect oneself against infectious illnesses such as SARS. It is important for us to have information in order to protect ourselves. I have asked one of my expert medical consultants, Dr. Hillel Naiman, to provide us with basic information concerning SARS. Below, please find his report:

Worldwide concern has surfaced about SARS, which stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Much concern has arisen since this illness has been imported from the Far East to the Americas.

The Toronto outbreak has brought this home to us because of its proximity to the United States. One Toronto grandmother contracted SARS after visiting Hong Kong. A single 26-year-old woman in Singapore set off a chain of infections that involved more than a hun-

dred people when she returned from a Hong Kong trip, and her parents, uncle and pastor are among the dead.

This illness, which seems to be caused by a virus, is not homogeneous in its virulence. Although the worldwide numbers indicate a 6% mortality rate, the numbers in Canada show a 13% mortality rate. A quarter of those affected are healthcare workers.

What is SARS?

SARS is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. The following are warning signs of SARS.

¡ñ A measured fever greater than 100.40 AND

¡ñ One or more clinical findings of some type of an upper respiratory illness (for example, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, low oxygen, signs on an x-ray of pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome) AND ¡ñ Either recent travel to a suspected area, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Vietnam, Singapore and Toronto within the last ten days OR

¡ñ Close contact with someone who is known or suspected to be a SARS case.

One of the problems that seems to be evolving is the same issue we have with other viruses, i.e., that the viruses may mutate and change the nature and strength of the disease. This makes it more difficult to pinpoint the offender and to create a vaccine. The vaccine may be developed based on an ill patient`s template ¡ª in other words, what the virus looked like in that patient ¡ª and the vaccine would have helped him; however, because the virus may change ever so slightly as it goes through subsequent hosts, it will not be effective in subsequent patients.

Encouraging aspects of the current fight against SARS is that Toronto has been able to bring the SARS outbreak almost to a standstill by implementing very close containment of suspected cases and people with close contact (that means either through air, through touch, hugging, kissing). These people are isolated and quarantined for ten days).

The SARS cases that have been reported in New York State and New York City have not, thank G-d, resulted in any deaths. It seems that what has been brought here may be a less virulent strain, although time will tell whether this continues to be true.

The major reason why SARS has spread so quickly is because of air flight travel. Illnesses which would have occurred in a single isolated area and burned out in that area are now able to go across the globe within days or weeks.

Some positive aspects are that the information learned here may help control other illnesses. This week, for example, the Hong Kong government spent three million dollars in distributing thermometers so suspected cases can take their temperature twice a day.

May it be the will of Almighty that this illness, and all other pains and sicknesses, come to a swift end. May our efforts succeed in halting all illnesses which have caused pain and sorrow throughout the world.