Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on March 26, 2020

A member of the New Rochelle synagogue with the first COVID-19 victims is still under isolation despite being asymptomatic for weeks. Rockland/Westchester Journal News

Eli Epstein had a low-grade fever for a day or two in early March and tested positive for coronavirus as it spread through his neighborhoodin New Rochelle.

He has felt fine since. His wife tested positive, too, but never got sick.

Now, about 20 days later, they are still under a state-ordered quarantine along with about 100 other congregantsfrom Young Israel of New Rochelle, which was one of the initial hot spots for the virus in the country.

The problem is he and others are still testing positive for the virus, even though they have had no symptoms for weeks.

"Were waiting for some rule that tells us how we can resume our lives," Epstein said."Were completely asymptomatic."

The state Department of Health is requiring anyone in the New Rochelle epicenter, in particular, to stayquarantined until their test results come back negative.

But with a growing dearth of tests and unknowns about how long the virus might linger in a person's body even if it appears they are not contagious the Young Israel community is left wondering when the state or Westchester County will lift the mandatory quarantine that started March 3and continues for those who are still testing positive.

Initially, about 1,000 Young Israel congregants were ordered to self-quarantine, while those who tested positive were in a mandatory quarantine.

"The person who tested positive, based on time, should be OKnow but based on test results is not. So now what?" saidRichard Wolff, another congregant who had family members test positive and are still quarantined.

More: Coronavirus: Expectations growing that schools will stay closed into April, and possibly beyond

Eli Epstein, a congregant of Young Israel synagogue in New Rochelle, was among the congregants of the temple to test positive for the COVID-19 virus. Both he and his wife have been asymptomatic for weeks. Under New York State guidelines, until they receive two negative test results for the virus, they remain isolation. Under CDC guidelines, which only require seven days of quarantine after symptoms resolve, they should be out of isolation. Epstein was photographed March 24, 2020 in his New Rochelle home.(Photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News)

The confusion in New Rochelle, about 20miles north of midtown Manhattan, is that there is differing guidance on when a person who tested positive for coronavirus can be let out of a mandatory quarantine.

The Centers for Disease Control gives two options for people who tested positive with the virus and are under home isolation.

One is the "non-test based strategy." First, theyhave to wait at least seven days since their symptoms first appeared.

And they have to wait at least threedays afterthey no longer have a fever without having to use medicineand have improvement in their respiratory systems before they should end their quarantine.

The other option to end a quarantine is to get back a negative test, the "test-based strategy."

So far, New York state has stuck with the testing plan for New Rochelle patients, local officials said, leaving the residents uncertain when they can either get another test as they become increasingly scarce or wait until a negative one comes back.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, said the state needs to develop a plan to help the residents get out of quarantine and have a system consistent across the state as the number of positive cases swelled to nearly 26,000 on Tuesday.

"The dilemma is they are wasting tests if they retest these people," she said."But they are trapped."

More: Coronavirus: New York residents ordered to stay home as much as possible

Eli Epstein, a congregant of Young Israel synagogue in New Rochelle, was among the congregants of the temple to test positive for the COVID-19 virus. Both he and his wife have been asymptomatic for weeks. Under New York State guidelines, until they receive two negative test results for the virus, they remain isolation. Under CDC guidelines, which only require seven days of quarantine after symptoms resolve, they should be out of isolation. Epstein was photographed March 24, 2020 in his New Rochelle home.(Photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News)

Paulin said the state should consider the policies of New York City as the numberof positive cases grow and as it becomes more untenable to retest every person who becomes infected. New York by far has the most confirmed cases in the nation.

In the city, where the number of coronavirus cases hit nearly 15,000 on Tuesday, it is using the "non-test based strategy" to allow infected residents to end their quarantine.

"If you had or may have had COVID-19," the city's guidance says, "stay home for seven days after your symptoms started, and for three days after your fever has stopped without the use of fever-reducing drugs, such as Tylenol and ibuprofen, and your cough or sore throat symptoms have improved."

So far, Westchester County nor the state has adopted that plan with the New Rochelle patients.

Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said the current policy is under review by the state Health Department, but has not been rescinded. The policy only affects people who have tested positive for the disease, she noted.

It was originally put in place because health officials were unclear how long a person can spread the disease once they become infectious, Amler said.

Amler said its difficult for people to receive another two tests because its difficult to get tested.

Jill Montag, a spokeswoman for the state Health Department, said the state is working under its most current guidance.

"However, policies are constantly changing and under review given the nature of this constantly evolving public health emergency," she said.

More: Andrew Cuomo: Apex of coronavirus outbreak in NY two or three weeks away

Young Israel synagogue in New Rochelle in March 4, 2020.(Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News)

The situation is clearly evolving, particularly on how long a person may be a riskto others.

And New Rochellewas among the first sizable outbreaks in the nation, putting them a week or two ahead of other communities now being hit with the virus complicating the state's decision on how to move forward.

In fact, some of the positive patients in New Rochelle are now volunteering to help the state find waysto fight the virus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday the state is trying to takeplasma from people who are infected and have the antibodies to fight to virus "and will try putting that plasma into a person who is stillstruggling with the disease hoping that the antibodies make a difference."

The state is also testing the blood of infected patients who got better on their own and now may have an immunity.

"That would be very important for us to know because then health care workers that could go back to work;there are workers that could return back to the private sector," Cuomo said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a New Rochelle 'containment area,' where schools and gathering places will be ordered to close for two weeks to help stop the spread of coronavirus; March 10, 2020.(Photo: Courtesy: NY Governor's Office)

Dr. Aaron Glatt, the chief of infectious diseases and epidemiologistat Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, said public health experts are still studying how long a person infected with COVID-19 remains contagious.

If somebody is still known to have COVID-19, then there is a concern even if they are asymptomatic that they could transfer it, he said.

Glatt, who also heads the hospitals department of medicine, supported the state Health Department approach requiring a second negative test, citing the ongoing effort to gather more information amid a surging outbreak.

Often we would rather err on the side of being more careful and cautious, rather than allowing somebody to go back who is capable of transmitting the disease, he said.

More: Containment area in New Rochelle because of coronavirus: What you need to know

Yet the debate around lifting quarantine orders seems to be rapidly evolving as scientists race to unlock the virus secrets.

A containment area ofa one-mile radius in New Rochelle was put in place March 12 and expires Wednesday. The area was aimed at limiting gatherings in the community, but the state has since closed most businesses in New York and shuttered all schools and houses of worship.

We learn more about this every day, but at this point in time this is the best estimateby some very bright people, Glatt said.

Meanwhile, New Rochelle residents are either trying to get new tests, mainly at a drive-up, state-runsite in the city, or hoping the state will change its approach.

In the meantime, they said they will continue to follow the state's orders.

"We are the most compliant community," Epstein said.

"We followed this to a T, and now theres no way out of this."

More: New York's stay at home plan is in effect. Heres what you need to know

Joseph Spector is the New York state editor for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany

Includes reporting by USA TODAY Network New York health reporter David Robinson,

Support local journalism

We cover the stories from the New York State Capitol and across New York that matter most to you and your family. Please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription to the New York publication nearest you. Check out the latest offer.

Read or Share this story: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/24/new-rochelle-coronavirus-patients-better-but-still-quarantined/2908018001/

Continued here:

In New Rochelle, coronavirus patients have been asymptomatic for weeks. Why they are still quarantined - Lohud

Category: Synagogue
Tags: