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

30 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • July 2021