COVID-19 UPDATE
The Bexar County Medical Society COVID-19 Task Force:
Our Next Move By John J. Nava, MD
Fifteen months ago, the BCMS COVID-19 Task Force was formed by inviting members of the Public Health and Patient Advocacy, Emergency Preparedness, Executive, Legislative and Socioeconomics Committees of BCMS to combine their efforts. The intent was to examine the outbreak of COVID-19 in our community and to evaluate, recommend and communicate to BCMS leadership how BCMS could be involved in the fight against this deadly virus. Four subcommittees were formed, each meeting separately and reporting back to the larger group at weekly virtual meetings. The combined emphases of the Task Force evolved from learning about this new virus to educating others about the virus, using PPE to protect oneself and understanding the logistics of vaccine administration. Together with the community of San Antonio, BCMS has worked to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus; the numbers of vaccinated persons have increased and new cases have decreased. We would like to recognize, congratulate and thank all those who helped in this effort. Each of the subcommittee chairs was asked to provide a synopsis of the activities of their respective subcommittees. Their comments follow. Lubna Naeem, MD Communication Subcommittee Chair We are in this together. In the year 2020, with a crisis like that of COVID-19 and when the stakes were high, the Communication Subcommittee’s role was outstanding in engaging the physicians, community and stakeholders, whether it was making public service announcements (PSAs) for making universal mask wearing a community standard or promoting contact tracing awareness. We appreciate the overwhelming response from the community for the PSA initiative. We are proud of our team, integral committees, medical students, Alliance, BCMS members and the community partners for their aspiration to be part of this integral initiative. This wouldn’t be possible without the support of the BCMS leadership and the entire BCMS staff. Thank you.
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SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • July 2021
Diane Simpson, MD Community Mitigation Subcommittee The Community Mitigation Subcommittee was formed to examine the most relevant public health practices to control the spread and encourage adoption. The committee members decided the use of social media messaging was the most practical means to disseminate correct information to the public. This role was more important early in the pandemic, when the general population began to understand the scope and risks of COVID19 and to adopt effective prevention measures into their daily lives. The committee members self-produced video messages to post on social media and the BCMS website, covering topics such as the need for cooperation with contact tracing and case investigation, the importance of going to the hospital in medical emergencies and voting safely in the 2020 elections. These messages provided correct information and demonstrated the support of BCMS in regards to good public health practices. By December 2020, information and professional messaging regarding COVID-19 had saturated the mainstream media. The need for this subcommittee lessened considerably and the group decided not to meet in 2021, although members continue to write occasional articles on COVID-19 and public health issues for San Antonio Medicine. Leah H. Jacobson, MD, FAAP Pediatric and School Re-opening Subcommittee No one could have imagined back in March of 2020 that what started as the usual Spring Break would change the educational system dramatically for the next 15 months. The Pediatric and School Re-opening Subcommittee worked diligently during this time to discuss issues related to the effects of the pandemic on children and their changes in schooling. A few of the topics discussed included: 1) positivity rates and other metrics in the pediatric populations both locally and at the state level, 2) the need to follow closely ever-changing guidelines issued by
