Coming to Synagogue With COVID
Question
I just tested positive for COVID. It’s a very mild case. My symptoms are like a very slight cold. I otherwise feel well and I plan to work from home the rest of this week and isolate.
This coming Shabbos will be less than 5 days since my symptoms started. I am scheduled to be the Torah reader at my synagogue. The rabbi says there’s no one else around to do it. He is okay with me coming as long as I wear a KN95 mask and he will tell everyone else to wear masks too. The national government guidelines say I should isolate for 5 days, therefore my required isolation ends Sunday. This is not law, but guidance.
Who should I listen to, the rabbi or the national government guidelines?
Answers
If the Rabbi is okay with your being in Shul with COVID under the conditions he specifies, and your fellow congregants are happy to accommodate you, I think it is acceptable to follow the guidelines of the Rabbi.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team