Hackney Council issues mask-wearing reminder as Stamford Hill coronavirus cases rise

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations has urged members to follow social distancing guidelines and said its rabbis and lay leaders were “working closely” with the council to achieve this. 

With the approach of the High Holy-Days, the union said: “We are raising awareness so that the community knows how to best apply and adapt to the social distancing rules in a range of public and private settings.” 

Locals were asked to “think very carefully if and how many guests come into your homes over Yomtov” and reminded that relatives visiting from countries not on the government’s safe list should quarantine for 14 days “or consider rescheduling their visit to when the situation has improved”. 

Joel Friedman, director of public affairs at the Interlink Foundation, which advises strictly Orthodox charities, said it had been providing risk assessments to shuls and public premises as part of “mammoth efforts” to curb the spread of the virus. 

“Yet, the task is not complete and we must all do what we can and play our part to stall the virus so that the community and country at large can return to normal life as swiftly as possible.” 

Dr Husbands has said she was “extremely concerned” at the local rise in cases. Over the most recently measured seven-day period, positive coronavirus tests in Hackney and the City of London were around 21 per 100,000 people – but significantly higher in several of the wards with a large Jewish population. 

But the council noted that a mobile testing unit outside one Jewish school on Sundays had been successful with a good attendance from the local Jewish community.