Message from Mark M. Bai, M.D., SBCMS President on COVID-19 March 3, 2020 General, President's Message coronavirus, COVID-19 0 MESSAGE FROM SBCMS PRESIDENT MARK M. BAI, M.D. - COVID-19 Updates and Resources (download letter here) March 4, 2020 Dear SBCMS Members, Friends and the Community, As with our partner medical providers, hospitals, healthcare systems and the community in general, we at the San Bernardino County Medical Society are looking for the best way to approach the news of the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19. We believe the most effective strategy is to provide sensible and up to date information that emphasizes practices that will prevent the spread of the illness and keep families, individuals and healthcare providers safe, prepared and healthy. As of today, March 4, 2020, following the rise of California cases and following one COVID-19 death, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency to make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway and help the state prepare for broader spread. See full press release here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/03/04/governor-newsom-declares-state-of-emergency-to-help-state-prepare-for-broader-spread-of-covid-19/. We understand that the best way to combat the fear of the unknown is to ensure a strong educational network regarding the virus, especially as the medical community learns more about it. SBCMS is committed to assisting in the following ways: Sharing announcements regarding new developments in the Inland Empire; Communicating where to find resources for institutions who are monitoring the situation closely and can provide extensive information as well as answers to many questions; Providing updates with regard to scheduled town halls, informational sessions, webinars and other forums that will help to understand the evolving situation. The California Medical Association has created a Covid-19 Resource Page with highly valuable information at https://www.cmadocs.org/covid-19. We also wish to acknowledge that medical providers and systems have specific protocols in place. Our role is to share information, updates, announcements and guidance as presented by our partners and experts in the field, and we encourage you to visit these websites directly. According to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (DPH), they are continuing to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health to respond to reports of COVID-19 as the situation is quickly evolving. San Bernardino County DPH states: “The health risk from COVID-19 to the general public in San Bernardino County remains low at this time. No cases have been reported in the county. There is no immediate threat to San Bernardino County and no special precautions are required, but it is recommended to continue to practice good public health hygiene. People should not be excluded from activities based on their race, country of origin or recent travel if they do not have symptoms of respiratory illness. All San Bernardino County residents and visitors should continue to engage in regular activities and practice good public health hygiene as this is also the height of flu season across the county.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines for the diagnosis and care of COVID-19 patients, and they have asked health care systems and the nation to prepare for the possibility of this virus spreading in the community. As with any virus, especially during the flu season, there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you. COVID-19 is disseminated in the same manner as colds and the flu, and people can help prevent the spread of this virus by using the same preventive measures: Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If someone does become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough, they should stay away from work, school or other people to avoid spreading illness, and seek assistance from their healthcare provider. For the most updated information about COVID-19, please consider visiting the following sources directly: CMA Covid-19 Resource page or https://www.cmadocs.org/covid-19 CDC or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html San Bernardino County Department of Public Health or http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ Riverside County Public Health Department or https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus California Department of Public Health or https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx OSHA or https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/medicalinformation.html Kaiser Permanente or https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020 Loma Linda University School of Medicine or https://news.llu.edu/community/dispelling-myths-what-we-know-about-covid-19 Please feel free to contact the medical society for assistance in being connected with or referred to a physician or should you have questions or require guidance as we learn more about COVID-19. Thank you for working together to help keep our communities healthy. Sincerely, Mark M. Bai, M.D. President 2019-20 San Bernardino County Medical Society (SBCMS) Comments are closed.
