Halachot Related to Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic: Difference between revisions

==Violating Shabbat for [[Pikuach Nefesh]]==

#It is a well established halacha that it is not only permitted but even a mitzvah to violate [[Shabbat]] in order to safe a life or to remove a situation that presents even a slight chance of danger.<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 328:13</ref> The question is how to define the threshold of danger.<ref>[http://nleresources.com/2020/03/rav-asher-weiss-coronavirus-in-halacha/#.XnoNOIjYrIU Rav Asher Weiss (March 15 2020, min 18-22) to Beit Midrash Gavoha] explained that the definition of danger in order to violate Shabbat isn't defined by statistics. For vaccinations we assume that it is a sakana not to vaccinate even though the odds of dying because of the measles is low. Since it is preventable it is incumbent upon us to vaccinate. He concludes that as long as it is a natural phenomenon and there is an action that we can do to prevent deaths we must do so.</ref>

#In certain cases of emergency regarding corona virus it would be allowed to violate Shabbat.<ref>[https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1841156/harav-zilberstein-answer-telephone-on-shabbos-if-awaiting-results-of-coronavirus-test.html Rav Zilberstein] allowed a patient to answer the phone on Shabbat with a [[shinuy]] only to hear the results of a test and answer questions for epidemiological investigation. If the test results that show that a patient has the virus are produced on Shabbat it is incumbent for the health department to deal with the quarantine then and it is permitted to answer the phone for that.</ref> Obviously every single case is different and one should learn the laws of Pikuach Nefesh from a rabbi in advance.