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All COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are extremely effective<br />
at preventing the disease, and especially at preventing hospitalizations and death. The<br />
likelihood of death once vaccinated is roughly 2 per million people, compared to thousands<br />
per million for unvaccinated persons, with rates increasing geometrically for older<br />
individuals.<br />
The most common side effects are pain in the arm where you got the shot,<br />
feeling tired, headache, body aches, chills, and fever.<br />
Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available<br />
wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands frequently, and getting vaccinated.<br />
We want the pandemic to be over. We want you and your loved ones to feel<br />
safe as we begin to re-open our building and come together for prayer; for<br />
education; and for social activities. And we also understand that making the<br />
decision to get the vaccine can be difficult or even scary. Stories of negative<br />
reactions to some of the vaccines have been in the news, and it is sometimes<br />
difficult to know what to do. If you have any questions or concerns about the<br />
COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to visit the Johns Hopkins University’s<br />
COVID-19 Resource Hub (https://covidvaxhelp.org/) or<br />
the CDC’s FAQs web page (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-<br />
ncov/vaccines/faq.html), talk to your primary care physician, or reach out to any of<br />
the medically trained individuals who are members of our Temple. Those<br />
individuals are listed below as co-signers of this letter, and are all strong<br />
supporters of vaccination.<br />
One key piece of information to keep in mind is that infection rates for<br />
vaccinated persons have plummeted to almost zero; while infection rates<br />
for unvaccinated persons continue at same pace as in January, at the height<br />
of the pandemic. The methods for unvaccinated persons to avoid COVID-19<br />
are the same as they have always been: wearing masks; maintaining social<br />
distance; frequent hand-washing; and avoiding inside activities, especially with<br />
large crowds or other unvaccinated persons.<br />
At this time, we will not be asking individuals who enter the building whether<br />
they have received the vaccine. We look forward to seeing you all again, and to<br />
stamping out COVID-19!<br />
B’Shalom,<br />
Steve Marksamer, Acting President<br />
Rabbi John Franken<br />
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