SDCMS Expresses Strong Support for Public Health Officers
The San Diego County Medical Society Executive Committee issued the following statement today:
"The San Diego County Medical Society strongly supports our California public health officers. SDCMS joins the California Medical Association, California Academy of Family Physicians, and State Senator Richard Pan, MD, in calling for support and protection of our public health officers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven county public health officers have resigned since mid-April, the most recent was Dr. Nicole Quick in Orange County who was harassed and threatened for requiring mask use in public to help prevent the spread of COVID. This is untenable. These are public servants who have a difficult job and are vitally necessary, especially now. They require the full support and protection of the community they serve to keep us all healthy. SDCMS condemns this behavior of doxing, targeting, and intimidating physicians for doing their jobs and following the science and their best medical judgment.
"Our ability to interact safely outside our home and our economic welfare depends on being able to safely reopen while minimizing disease. As of this weekend, there have been over 115,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States, with over 5000 now dead in California. We must continue to be careful and look out for each other by doing simple things like staying home as much as possible, wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart, and washing our hands frequently. We must protect our older people in our community, especially those who live in long-term care facilities. We must protect our communities of color. Whether it is calling for vaccinations or wearing masks to prevent the spread of a pandemic, physicians and scientists must be supported and kept safe to do their work and ensure the health of us all."
Below are links to the statements on this important issue by CMA, CAFP, and Sen. Pan as well as latest statistics on COVID-19 in California and nationally:
https://www.cmadocs.org/newsroom/news/view/ArticleId/48927/CMA-deeply-disturbed-by-unfair-attacks-on-local-health-officers
https://www.familydocs.org/news-cafp-support-of-public-health-officials/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4rc_qsDvGE&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx