By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com A number of people are aware of the controversy about an health clinic in Williamsburg that started giving out COVID-19 vaccines to people other than the front-line health care workers. Indeed, such prominent Poskim as Rabbi Herschel Schachter and Rabbi Mordechai Willig received vaccinations from that organization as well. Rabbi Schachter even issued a statement that had he known that the origin of the vaccine was under question he would not have taken the vaccine. What follows is an observation that has nothing to do with the details of this case, per se.  It is an observation that the policy that has been adopted by the CDC as to who should be vaccinated first – is, in this author’s opinion, morally and halachically bankrupt.  If one carefully examines the mission statement of the CDC – one will see that the raison d’etre of the CDC is to maximize the saving of life.  Lehavdil, the parameters of halacha are also to maximize the saving of life. On December 3rd, the CDC made recommendations to the three governments throughout the nation – the federal government, the state governments and the local governments about who should be vaccinated first (Phase 1A recipients).  These recommendations were based on those made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of medical and public health experts. The three thoughts this author would like to share are as follows: The recommendations are wrong. They will kill many thousands, if not tens of thousands of people if not more. There is still time to change them. The criterion as to who should be vaccinated first should be made solely with one factor in mind – to maximize the saving of life.  This means if option A will save 800,000 lives and the option that the CDC has chosen will save 300,000 lives then the policy is responsible for the death of a half a million people.  Those most at risk for dying should receive the vaccine first – this should be the only criterion. The CDC stated that their recommendations were made with these goals in mind: Decrease death and serious disease as much as possible. Preserve functioning of society. Reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities. The problem is that goal #2, and goal #3 undermine goal number one.  The scandal that has happened in Brooklyn should be a call to the real scandal that is happening.  It should be a carrion call to all doctors, presidents, clergymen and everyone that values life to change the criterion. Currently, healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities are offered the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines (Phase 1a).  Healthcare personnel are less at-risk for dying of COVID-19.  This decision will cause many thousands of deaths.  True, the healthcare workers are heroes and they will be discussed later in this article.  But, once again, those most at risk for dying should receive the vaccine first.  That is it.   On December 22nd, the CDC made recommendations as two who should be included in Phases 1b and 1c. 1b will include frontline essential workers such as: fire fighters police officers corrections officers food and agricultural workers United States Postal Service workers manufacturing workers grocery store workers public transit […]

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