March 13th, 2020
1:00 PM
Dear Community Member,
Please read this message in its entirety. We know that you are receiving many emails from various institutions as well and we ask for your patience. Information below will also list steps that you can take to assist in this effort. There are B"H no confirmed cases in the community at this time.
With tremendous Siyata D'shmaya, Chicago is blessed to have so many wonderful organizations that have already met and are working together to proactively take steps to help ensure the welfare of our community.
Community Help Hotline
224-534-9867
Please call the COVID-19 help hotline to best coordinate ANY need that is not a medical emergency.
This includes, but is not limited to, concerns related to the following:
- Elderly patients who may need assistance with shopping or wellbeing checks
- Children who have anxiety or emotional concerns related to the events around them
- Direction in navigating getting tested for COVID-19 when you do not have a primary physician to contact first
- Coordination of services for those who may become quarantined
Rabbinic Guidelines
Please thoroughly read the memo that was sent out earlier today by the community Rabbonim and any future updates as they are sent out. For any COVID-19 related shailos, please continue to call your personal Rov.
You may call the hotline if you are not able to access your Rov and we will facilitate an answer to your shaila.
Social Impact
Organizations are ready to help the community with the concerns and impact on our families' physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. This includes all age ranges: adult, geriatric, and pediatric.
Kosher Food and Supplies
We want to reassure the community that we have spoken with community suppliers and stores and they do not expect disruption of available supplies, despite social media attention to this. The inventories are available or readily replenished even if momentarily unavailable on the shelf.
Out of an abundance of caution, we are taking steps to ensure that additional basic necessities will be available to community members.
Hatzalah Chicago
847-504-1500
For any medical emergencies, please call Hatzalah Chicago and tell the dispatcher if you are concerned of COVID-19.
If you are feeling well, but just have concern of being exposed, please call your doctor or the non-emergency hotline as Hatzalah does not have the ability to test for COVID-19.
Your Role
- Please get your flu shot NOW. As people are needing testing for COVID-19, it causes early anxiety and alarm and we have already seen where testing alone has caused panic prior to being confirmed negative. The flu shot is effective and in getting it YOU will be assisting in reducing the burden on Hatzalah and in turn on the hospitals. This will free those resources to treat those with regularly occurring medical emergencies and perhaps save someone's life.
- Many people contract regular flu symptoms and are able to weather the sickness with tylenol/motrin and staying hydrated with electrolyte sport drinks. Coordinate with your doctor to monitor your condition if you are sick and managing flu-like symptoms from home. If it is not an emergency symptom, Hatzalah does not need to be called, thereby potentially exposing them to even a regular flu or illness.
- Please ensure that your medication's prescription has remaining refills authorized on them. If needed, call your doctor's office to send in additional refills to your pharmacy where appropriate.
- Please contact your pharmacy about getting authorization from your insurance company for an "early refill" if possible so that you may be able to have sufficient supply available in your house in the event that you do require quarantine, Chas V'Shalom.
Please continue your tefillos for our community. Many people have already been impacted financially and personally and may just need a kind word from their friends or neighbors. Let's all be there for each other and continue to display the achdus necessary to have Rachamei Shamayim to bring about a yeshua for all of us.
Have a good shabbos,
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