Perspectives Toward COVID-19 Sanctions in the Orthodox Jewish Community in Brooklyn and Queens: A Qualitative Study of Medical Providers Experience

The Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish Community in New York City suffered significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The community came under public scrutiny after some members staunchly advocated for reopening of certain resources central to community culture. This study utilizes qualitative techniques to examine the perspectives of medical providers that serve the Haredi community toward pandemic-related government sanctions, as well as the resultant effects the restrictions had on community receipt of healthcare. We interviewed 15 community-based healthcare providers regarding their experiences caring for the Haredi community during the pandemic and identified five themes that encapsulate their experience, subdivided into those that focus on the pandemic experience and those that inform community structural determinants of health. The themes identified were (1) The beginning of the pandemic impacted receipt of healthcare within the community; (2) COVID-19 rules were confusing, strict, and often non-transparent; (3) The COVID-19 response led to mistrust that continues to impact receipt of medical care; (4) Community-specific characteristics shaped its member's experiences; and (5) The providers serving the Haredi community identify a baseline mistrust of the outside world among their constituents that make the community prone to feel targeted. The study's findings underscore deficits in the public health response that exacerbated feelings of distrust among community members which continues to negatively impact its receipt of medical care.