The Right Side Of History

This one should have been a layup. One of the myriad of arbitrary, unfounded and unnecessary restrictions the schools have placed on us out of Covid fear is that any child that travels by airplane is prohibited from coming to school for 14 days. Based on numerous studies that have concluded that, in fact, airplanes have a much lower probability of Covid transmission than most other activities we all engage in daily (such as going to the supermarket, Shul or ironically even school), I respectfully asked the schools my children attend to consider removing this restriction from their policies. ( https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/risk-covid-19-exposure-planes-virtually-nonexistent-masked/story?id=73616599 )   I have yet to hear back from one of them but I recently heard back from the other one and their response is indicative of everything that is wrong with how we as a community (and society) are approaching our response to Covid. If we don't change course, we will be living under these...

Part I of this three part series can be found here: https://gershondistenfeld.blogspot.com/2020/10/pikuach-nefesh-covid-19-precautions.html Part II of this three part series can be found here: https://gershondistenfeld.blogspot.com/2020/10/pikuach-nefesh-covid-19-precautions_18.html The following is the third part of a three part series analyzing the applicability of halachic maxims like safek pikuach nefesh to the current social distancing mandates during the Covid-19 Pandemic. In the first part, the application of safek pikuach nefesh on the individual level, and the lack of historical precedent was discussed, and can be found here.  In the second part, safek pikuach nefesh on the communal level was discussed in light of the observed efficacy of social distancing measures. It can be found here.   Pikuach Nefesh & Covid-19 Precautions - Questioning the Halachik Link - Part III (Conclusion) Etan Golubtchik Who is Wise? When discussing safek pikuach nefesh and how it appli...

Part I of this three part series can be found here: https://gershondistenfeld.blogspot.com/2020/10/pikuach-nefesh-covid-19-precautions.html Part III will IY"H be posted later this week. The following is the second of a three part series analyzing the applicability of halachic concepts like safek pikuach nefesh to the current social distancing mandates during the Covid-19 Pandemic. In the first part, the application of safek pikuach nefeshon on the individual level was discussed, specifically in how they may be limited by statistical probabilities. Additionally, with prior empirical studies finding limited if any benefit to social distancing reducing deaths, the stage was set for evaluating the results of the current global experiment being conducted.   Pikuach Nefesh & Covid-19 Precautions - Questioning the Halachik Link - Part II Etan Golubtchik Social Experimentation  When evaluating a  safek , or any scientific uncertainty, experiments are often used...