Page 32 - Layout 1

2020 MEDICAL YEAR
IN REVIEW

2020

Coronavirus

Pandemic –

A Year in Review

by Mary E. Nava, MBA

At the time of this writing, our country is in the eighth month of Workforce Subcommittee. Ezequiel Silva, III, MD, chair of the Hos-
the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic and has elected a new U.S. President. pitals and Workforce subcommittee, stated, “The role of the subcom-
It is not surprising that the pandemic figured prominently in this year’s mittee has been to closely follow trends in hospital admissions and
elections. For the most part, San Antonio and Bexar County have how those admissions have impacted our healthcare system stress
fared well, considering all the challenges associated with the pandemic. scores, including staff and hospital bed availability. By tapping into
Nationally and world-wide, at the front and center of this pandemic leaders in the various hospital systems, we achieved a collaborative un-
were the physicians and medical professionals caring for coronavirus derstanding of our county's needs. This allowed meaningful interac-
patients and the challenges they faced each day in their clinics or in tions with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC)
hospitals. Sadly, the Pandemic is still with us and although there is no and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) where appro-
cure, vaccine trials continue and two vaccine manufacturers are ex- priate.”
pected to apply for emergency use authorization (EUA) in November. Working in collaboration with the Communications Plan Subcom-
Members of the BCMS COVID-19 Task Force (herein Task Force) mittee, members of the Task Force, Pediatrics and Schools Subcom-
and its four subcommittees: Communications Plan, Community Mit- mittee and Community Mitigation Subcommittee developed several
igation, Hospitals and Workforce and Pediatrics and Schools have video public service announcements (PSAs), which were posted to the
been hard at work since March, and until recently, met weekly to dis- BCMS website and social media platforms. The PSAs covered such
cuss how physician members could assist our government leaders and topics as: following the protocols, answering the call (from the health
community around the myriad of issues and concerns with COVID- department), when to access the emergency room and wearing a mask
19. The Task Force continues to monitor the situation now that cases properly. Diane Simpson, MD, chair of the Community Mitigation
in Texas, the nation and in other countries are increasing yet again and Subcommittee, stated, “The purpose of the Community Mitigation
at the time of this writing, Texas had the highest number of daily subcommittee is to determine the most relevant public health prac-
COVID-19 cases in the U.S. tices to control the spread of coronavirus. The committee seeks to en-
Bexar County case numbers have been holding steady in recent courage the adoption of these practices by the public through social
weeks, although a slight uptick has been registered in the number of media messaging.”
local COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate. This development is Lubna Naeem, chair of the Communications Plan Subcommittee
not necessarily unusual since many students have returned to in-person added, “In a crisis like that of COVID-19, when the stakes are high
instruction, business establishments have been allowed to open and/or in a politically charged environment, stepping aside is not an option.
expand the number of people they serve and, of certain concern, is Engaging physicians, the community and stakeholders is necessary,
that some people continue to congregate in spite of the COVID-19 now more than ever. Whether making universal mask wearing a com-
threat. Nevertheless, this increase in cases is important to monitor munity standard or promoting contact tracing awareness, expanding
and also tracks increase in hospital admissions. Suffice it to say, this the reach of communication is critical to continuing to educate our
activity has the attention of the Task Force and the Hospitals and citizens on the importance of all of us working together to help combat

32 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • December 2020