SAN ANTONIO – UT Health San Antonio is reminding residents about the importance of social distancing in an effort to slow the coronavirus outbreak.
Jason Bowling, M.D., infectious diseases specialist with UT Health Physicians, the clinical practice of the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, released the following statement:
“As we continue our battle against the coronavirus and COVID-19 disease, we must be absolutely diligent to maintain social distancing. Of course, we must also be meticulous about handwashing, cleaning surfaces, and covering coughs and sneezes. But, now that we have entered the phase of community transmission, the mandates regarding social distancing are all the more important. As we shop for the groceries and medications we need, go out to walk or jog and/or fill our cars with gas, we must not let our guard down. Make an absolute effort to stay six feet away from others. Social distancing is hard — and it’s hard to sustain. But, without treatments or a vaccine, it’s the single, most effective tool that we have to slow this pandemic. How we respond — as individuals and as a community — will determine the trajectory of COVID-19 disease in San Antonio and South Texas. We need your support and commitment to this diligence in order to preserve our health care resources and protect each other. The life you’re saving could be that of a family member, your closest friend or neighbor — or your own.”
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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