While appealing to a sense of personal responsibility should be effective enough, it has proved not to be. What happens when personal responsibility is not enough, and people are endangering others? Mask mandates. Social distancing guidelines. Occupancy limitations.

Physicians and other health care providers have worked tirelessly to serve our patients, even at the cost of our own health and safety. What if I told you that we are no longer on the front lines of this pandemic, but you are? You have the power and capability to stop the spread of the Coronavirus that has taken over 3,450 lives in Alabama and 1.39 million lives worldwide. All you have to do to potentially save a life is to wear a mask in public, socially distance and wash your hands. These simple actions not only save lives, but can also help our physicians and hospital systems not get overwhelmed with patients. You can help keep your family and our families safe at the same time.

As we head into this holiday season, we can’t require people to keep themselves safe, but we are asking them to keep other people safe. Many people could be infected and transmit the disease to others without even knowing they are sick. I just hope that we can recontextualize the mask mandate and see it as a simple act of kindness to protect those around you. It seems like the least we can do for our families, friends, loved-ones, physicians, nurses, and communities as a whole.

John S. Meigs, Jr., MD is the president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama

• Public Health Concerns: Survey data shows that patient volume is down considerably and there are concerns that Alabamians are not going to their physician for routine care, including childhood and adult vaccinations, which will have long term public health consequences.
• Financial Impact: More than 70% of respondents said COVID-19 has had a severe impact on practice finances, causing layoffs and furloughs and limiting access to care
• Patient Volume: Nearly 60% said patient volume reductions cut revenues by at least 50%, underscoring the extent to which patients are delaying or skipping necessary care
• Telemedicine Increase: More than 71% said they’re likely to continue providing telemedicine so long as insurers continue covering the services for patients
• Liability Concerns: More than 71% are concerned about the potential liability from lack of PPE and patients canceling or delaying procedures and other medical care

In addition, a similar study found that Alabama is ranked sixth in the country in the number of patients that are delaying care. While COVID-19 may change how you receive care, it’s still important to look after yourself by getting the time-sensitive medical care you need to stay healthy.

In light of the findings of the survey, the Medical Association recommends several public policy proposals to combat COVID-19’s effects on physician practices and care delivery:

1. Allocate state stimulus funds to reimburse practices for COVID-19 related expenses
2. Expansion of testing, PPE and cleaning supply availability
3. Continued coverage of telemedicine by insurers at existing rates
4. Enactment of “safe harbor” legislation to provide liability protections to health care providers

This pandemic has made telehealth more important than ever, enabling access to care to patients whose needs can be met remotely. Telemedicine has saved lives, helped reduce the spread of the virus, and enabled physicians to care for patients in a time when they might have otherwise been unable to. However, it is not a “silver bullet” and should not be viewed as a total replacement for in-person care.

Whether in a hospital, surgery center or in a clinic, COVID-19 has drastically changed the care we as physicians provide for our patients. We cannot allow this virus to decimate our already strained healthcare system. Supporting those who care for us is needed now more than ever.

The entirety of the survey summary is available here.

John S. Meigs, Jr., MD is the president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama

Our State Health Officer, Dr. Scott Harris, has been recommending self-isolation and social distancing for several weeks now. Governor Kay Ivey issued the statewide shelter in place order last Friday effective at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, April 4. For a contagious respiratory infection for which we have no treatment, isolation, social distancing and public avoidance are our only effective means to slow down the spread of his disease and save lives. Dr. Harris and Governor Ivey are to be commended for having the courage to make this difficult decision and to do what is right, what was needed, in the face of the political pressure against these measures.

The closing of schools and daycares, the shuttering of non-essential businesses, the avoidance of large group meetings, the delaying of elective medical procedures are all disruptive and will cause economic hardships. But it will save lives. That has to take precedence. Models predict between 500 and 1,000 Alabamians could die from COVID-19 in the next six months. Between 100,000 and 2 million Americans could die from COVID-19 in the next six months. Even those lower-end numbers are frightening but the only way to keep the numbers on the low end instead of the upper end of that range is to strictly apply our only weapons against this disease: self-isolation, social distancing and public avoidance.

Stay at home, folks. The life you save may be your own, or mine, or someone you love.

John S. Meigs, Jr., MD, is president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama