COVID-19

COVID-19 AND THE H.E.S.

Dear H.E.S. Participants,

As directed by the mayor, new vaccination requirements have been mandated in New York City in response to COVID-19 rates increasing within the city, and countrywide. A phase-in period commenced on August 16, and full enforcement is set to begin on September 13.

Beginning Monday, September 13, all individuals over the age of 12 will be required to show proof of full vaccination* each time when entering the Hebrew Educational Society.

The below are considered acceptable proofs of vaccination:

CDC Vaccination Card. A photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.
NYC Vaccination Record or other official immunization record from within or outside the U.S., including from your healthcare provider. A photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable. If you are unable to get this record, call 311.

NYC COVID Safe App: Android | iOS. You can upload to this app a photo of your CDC vaccination card or other official record, along with your photo ID.
Excelsior Pass (or Excelsior Pass Plus). To use this app, you will need the phone number or email address associated with your NYC vaccination record. If you are unable to use this app, try one of the other options listed above.

Please note that indoor protocols including mask-wearing will continue to be required. Please see below for additional guidance as it relates to these policies.

H.E.S. Guidance:

Temperature checks will occur upon entry into the building at the front desk. Any individual with a fever equal to or greater than 100.4 will not be permitted into the facility.

Upon entering the building, and after the completion of your activity, all individuals must use a hand sanitizing station – conveniently located throughout the building.

Additional details specific to your child’s sports and fitness program will be accessible in the “Agreements” section during registration.

MASKS ARE REQUIRED WITHIN THE BUILDING AND DURING ACTIVITIES AT ALL TIMES.

We realize that many of the children we serve in our pool, fitness, and educational component programs are not yet eligible for vaccination. We are continuing to do everything we can to keep those most vulnerable as safe as possible. We believe that with the community’s focus and partnership, we can continue to do so.

We are excited to see so many of you excited to return for our fall sports and swim session, after school program, and much more! We thank each and every one of you for your role in keeping our community safe. As the H.E.S. takes every imaginable step to keep our facility safe, we hope that the steps that the city has mandated will provide an even stronger layer of security for our family, friends, and children.

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORIT

As our programs reopen health and safety are the H.E.S.’s top priority. To ensure that all members, participants, and visitors remain healthy, the following COVID-19 guidelines have been added to our policies.

COVID-19 PROTOCOL

H.E.S. COVID-19 Self-Certification must be completed on the day of your reservation prior to entrance into the building and each subsequent day members visit the H.E.S. facilities.
All individuals must complete and sign a one-time assumption of risk and liability waiver. This document is Included in online registration that must be completed prior to participation. Members MUST log into their H.E.S. account to review and sign the assumption of risk waiver and the updated financial guidelines.
Individuals are required to wear face coverings at all times and adhere to activity-appropriate physical distancing.
Temperatures will be checked upon entry to the building. In the instance that an individual’s temperature is equal to or greater than 100.4 they will not be allowed to enter the building, as outlined by the CDC.
Upon entering and exiting the building all individuals are required to utilize hand sanitizer.
Participants will be required to bring their own equipment, caps, goggles, towels, etc.
FACE COVERINGS ARE REQUIRED WITHIN THE BUILDING, LOCKER ROOMS, AND ON THE POOL DECK AT ALL TIMES.

FOR YOUTH SPORTS AND FITNESS PROGRAMS ONLY

ONE parent/guardian may accompany participants – under the age of 17.
ALL parents/guardians must remain on the bleaches, in designated seating areas, for the duration of their child’s program.
Seating areas have been designed to ensure and accommodate proper physical distancing.
Interaction with children during activities is prohibited.
Participants will be divided into assigned groups, in which they will remain for the duration of the class.
Each group will have designated equipment unique to them.

FOR FITNESS MEMBERS ONLY

Reservations are required for all gym and fitness activities.
Reservations are available for online booking, click here to reserve your time today. Members are also welcome to call 718.241.3000 for reservation assistance.
Members are required to bring their own gym activity equipment, including but not limited to racquets, paddles, and basketballs.
Until further notice locker room access will not be available for individuals utilizing the gym facilities.

FOR POOL USE

Participants are required to wear face coverings at all times while on deck. Face coverings may only be removed when entering the water.
Participants enrolled in the H.E.S. Learn to Swim program will not be permitted to have a visitor on the deck unless they are under the age of 6 (1,2,3,4, and 5 ONLY)
Designated areas will be marked on the bleachers to place personal items.
Equipment will not be available for use. We strongly encourage you to bring any equipment you may require. B
The pool is divided into 3 sections for members to use:
- Aquacise/Therapeutic
- Novice/Intermediate lap swimming
- Intermediate/advance lap swimming
The sauna will remain closed until further notice.

SHOWER USE

Designated showers will be available for use.
All must shower prior to entering the pool.
A sign will be placed by each shower stating, “This shower has been cleaned and sanitized” and “I am finished with the shower and it is ready for cleaning”.
When done using the shower simply flip the sign to ensure the H.E.S. maintenance team can appropriately clean and sanitized.
Showers will be cleaned and sanitized in between use.
There will be a five-minute time limit for shower use to allow for cleaning and disinfecting.

LOCKER ROOM USE

Members are required to wear face coverings at all times.
To minimize locker room time, please arrive dressed for swimming.
Specific lockers are marked as available for use in each locker room, members must only use those marked for use to ensure physical distancing.
Hand sanitizing stations and wipes are available and strongly encouraged for use throughout the locker room.
Locker rooms will be cleaned regularly throughout the day by H.E.S. maintenance staff.
Locker rooms are currently only available for those members utilizing the pool area.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL TIMES AND SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. AS WE ARE ENTERING THE BEGINNING STAGES OF REOPENING, WE ARE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND CDC.

**PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT RESERVATIONS AND SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

THE H.E.S. AND THE NYC TEST AND TRACE CORPS

As a Test and Trace Corps Partner, the H.E.S. is proud to provide our community with a weekly list of testing sites and their respective hours in the Brooklyn area.

Test sites are subject to change throughout the week and hours vary by location. You can find the most up-to-date schedule by visiting NYC Health+Hospitals COVID-19 Testing Sites.

What is the NYC Test & Trace Corps?

A public health initiative fighting COVID-19. Through FREE resources and action, the NYC Test & Trace Corps aims to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and protect our city. Officially launched on June 1, 2020, the NYC Test & Trace Corps is a group of doctors, public health professionals, and community advocates working to fight COVID-19 so that we all can get back to school and work, and help New York City reopen safely.

The work of the Corps is led by NYC Health + Hospitals in close collaboration with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other city agencies.

What is the goal of the Test & Trace Corps?

The Corps aims to keep New Yorkers safe by reducing the spread of the virus and helping those with confirmedCOVID-19 disease separate safely from others and protect their loved ones. There are three key components of the work of the Corps:

Test
FREE, confidential, and safe COVID-19 testing is available to all New Yorkers at hundreds of testing sites across the City. The Corps aims to test 50,000 people per day by August 1.

Trace
Tracing’s goal is to identify people who may have been exposed to the disease through close contact and help them find the best place to safely separate from others. With the help of thousands of trained public
health professionals called Contact Tracers, this effort will provide support to New Yorkers who test positive for COVID-19.

Take Care
Contact Tracers will make sure that everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts have the resources needed to safely separate in a hotel, free of charge, or at home. Hotels will have24/7 monitoring by skilled nurses and clinicians, wireless internet access, all meals provided, access to mental health and wellness services, and free unlimited local phone calls to stay connected to loved ones. For New Yorkers that choose to safely separate at home, the Take Care team will help them with access to food and medication delivery.

Vaccinate

The COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in phases to groups of people at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure or severe COVID-19 illness. The phased distribution will take time, with vaccines not expected to be widely available to all New Yorkers until mid-2021.

VACCINE

About the COVID-19 Vaccine – Where are we now?

In New York, we’re in Phase 1A and 1B of vaccination, and more groups of New Yorkers are becoming eligible for the vaccine all the time.

Right now, healthcare workers, people 65 and older, and a growing range of frontline essential workers and at-risk New Yorkers are eligible to get the vaccine.

This includes:

Home health aides;
Teachers and education workers, including childcare staff;
First responders;
Public safety workers;
Public transit workers, now including TLC licensees;
Food and grocery store workers, now including restaurant workers;
New Yorkers experiencing homelessness who reside in congregate settings as well as staff;
Staff at COVID-19 testing and vaccination locations; and more.

Learn more about who is currently eligible for vaccination.

If you are eligible in Phase 1A or 1B, you can make an appointment now to get your vaccine. Use the NYC Vaccine Finder to find a location near you — you must reserve your vaccine appointment in advance! Additional COVID-19 vaccine sites will be added as they are available. You can also make an appointment by phone by calling 1-877-VAX-4NYC.

Who is up next?

As more Phase 1B groups are determined eligible by New York State, NYC will make that information available to you. We expect that additional groups eligible in Phase 1B will likely include other frontline essential workers and additional groups of high-risk New Yorkers, among others. Learn more about the planned phases for vaccine distribution.

What about me?

As more doses become available, additional groups of New Yorkers will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Once eligible you will be able to make a vaccine appointment at many locations throughout the city using the NYC Vaccine Finder or by calling 1-877-VAX-4NYC. We will soon launch an online tool to help you determine if you are eligible for the vaccine. Check back here for additional updates or text COVID to 692-692 to receive real-time updates on vaccine distribution.

TESTING

Who can get tested?
All New Yorkers can get FREE COVID-19 diagnostic testing and antibody testing. All New Yorkers should get the COVID-19 diagnostic test, even if they have symptoms.

Where can New Yorkers get tested?
There are hundreds of testing sites across the city, including at more than 30 NYC Health + Hospitals locations, at CityMD clinics, near NYCHA residences, at parks and recreational centers, and through mobile testing vans. To find a testing site near you, visit nyc.gov/covidtest, or call 311.

Should people get tested more than once?
Repeat testing should be considered if your previous test was negative and you:

now have symptoms of COVID-19 such as shortness of breath, cough, fever, or loss of taste or smell
have spent time in large crowds
had contact with someone you think may have COVID-19
live or work in a congregate setting such as a nursing home or shelter
are going to spend time with someone with a high-risk of serious illness (for example if you are going to visit a relative who is more than 65 years old or who has certain medical conditions that put them at risk like cancer)

Will I need to pay for my test?

No, many testing sites offer FREE COVID-19 tests. You do not need insurance to get a free COVID-19 test or an antibody test at any NYC Health + Hospitals location. If you have insurance, it is important to share your insurance
information so that the insurer can be billed. However, you will not need to pay any co-pay or co-insurance.

When and how will I receive my test results?
Your test results will be available within 3-5 days. While you are awaiting test results, it is important that you separate safely at home or in a hotel if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Click to download the above flyer with Targeted Brooklyn COVID-19 Testing Sites

BK Testing Sites flier (11-23 to 11-29)
Size: 970.34 KB Format : PNG
Preview

TRACING

What is tracing?

Tracing also called contact tracing, involves finding people who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19 and asking them to safely separate from other people until they can no longer spread the virus.

What is the role of a Contact Tracer?

Contact Tracers call people who test positive or have been exposed to COVID-19. A Contact Tracer will:

Ask how you are feeling.
Ask if you need services and support to help you stay healthy and avoid spreading COVID-19.
Explain how long you need to stay inside and away from other people.
Ask questions to figure out how you may have been infected if you have tested positive.
Ask for names and contact information of people you had close contact with while you could have spread the virus to others if you have tested positive.

A Contact Tracer may also visit you in person to check on your wellbeing. They will show you their identification to prove they are a Contact Tracer.

How does the NYC Test & Trace Corps get people’s information?

If you were diagnosed with COVID-19, the NYC Test & Trace Corps received your information from the NYC Health Department. New York State law and the New York City Health Code require laboratories to send positive test results to the NYC Health Department. The NYC Health Department securely shared your information with the NYC
Test & Trace Corps in compliance with privacy laws that allow this type of information to be used to protect public health and stop the spread of disease.

If you were exposed to COVID-19, the NYC Test & Trace Corps received your information because someone with COVID-19 told a Contact Tracer that you were in close contact with them. A Contact Tracer cannot tell you who told them you were a close contact.

How can New Yorkers know if the person calling is a Contact Tracer with the NYC Test & Trace Corps?

The NYC Test & Trace Corps Contact Tracers are working to call everyone who tested positive for or was exposed to, the virus that causes COVID-19. Please answer the phone if you get a call from:

NYC Test+Trace
a phone number beginning with 212-540-XXXX or 212-242-XXXX.

A contact tracer will NEVER:

ask for your name – they will know it when they call you
ask for your Social Security number
ask for any private financial information
ask for credit card information
ask to take control of or download software to your phone, tablet, or computer

A Contact Tracer may also visit you at home, especially if they can’t reach you by phone. They will show you their identification to prove they are a Contact Tracer.

What is “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID-19?

Close contact is defined as:

Living with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Kissing or having sex with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Providing care in the home of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Spending 10 minutes or more within six feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

TAKING CARE

What type of assistance will New Yorkers receive when isolating at home?

All New Yorkers who are safely separating at home and monitoring their health status will get daily check-in calls or text messages from a Contact Tracer who may also conduct in-person visits to check on their wellbeing. The NYC Test & Trace Corps will also provide access to meals and medications.

How can New Yorkers access a free hotel room to safely isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19?

You may be eligible for a free hotel stay of up to 14 days if you do not have a place to safely separate to protect your loved ones. To learn more, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC or 1-844-692-4692.

What services are available in a hotel?

New Yorker who choose to safely separate in a hotel will have access to free transportation and 24/7 support by skilled nurses and clinicians, free meals, access to mental health and wellness services, wireless internet access, cable television, air conditioning, and free unlimited local phone calls to stay connected to loved ones.

How can providers refer patients to hotels?

Any doctor, nurse, or physician assistant across the City can email CommCareCP@nychhc.org to refer a patient to a hotel room. If you don’t have a doctor, you can call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692), the City’s COVID hotline, to speak with someone who can help you make a reservation.

Track and Trace Download

Download all of the information provided above

CLICK HERE

COVID-19 INFORMATION FROM THE CDC

The H.E.S. Staff is hard at work abiding by all CDC, NYS, and NYC regulations as they relate to COVID-19, re-opening, and programming.

Make sure to check back regularly for specific program updated.

In the meantime, please watch the compilation of CDC published videos below to help keep you and your loved ones informed and safe during COVID-19.

We thank you for your continued support, as always if you are in need of services, do not hesitate to reach out. Where there is a need, we stand ready to serve.

COVID-19 SELF-CERTIFICATION FORMS

REQUIRED DAILY FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

Please review the list of COVID-19 self-certification forms as required by the H.E.S.

Prior to entering the H.E.S. building, you will be required to submit the program-specific self-certification.

If you have any questions, please contact the department director or our front desk staff at 718.241.3000.

SPORTS, FITNESS AND AQUATICS RESERVATIONS

THE H.E.S. IS OPEN!

The gym and pool will operate RESERVED APPOINTMENT ONLY for current and new H.E.S. fitness members.

Not yet a member?

CLICK HERE to learn more and register!

CLICK HERE to purchase your guest pass and give the H.E.S. a try today!

Please note that as of March 1st, 2021 the H.E.S. Guest Passes will increase to $20 per person, per day for adults 18 and older, and $15 per person, per day for those 17 and under.