Dear Members of the Baylor College of Medicine Community,
As we face an uncontrollable spike in COVID-19 cases nationally, we got some important news from the CDC this week – masks are just as good at protecting you as they are at protecting others from you. So if you do not want to become a positive case, the best means of protection are still masking and physical distancing. In this week’s video I go through the numbers, which are up to 100,000 cases a day in the United States. El Paso is having a terrible spike. Houston is still doing OK but the numbers are inching up.
The initial results on the Pfizer vaccine trial are very encouraging and I am optimistic that we will have a vaccine next year. Great science again this week that I review in the video. And with the holidays coming up, I remind you that 70 percent of the transmissions are coming from family gatherings and people going to bars. In both cases, the transmissions occur because of few or no masks and limited physical distancing.
Shout out to all veterans this week. I am so proud of our close relationship with the DeBakey VA Medical Center – the VA hospital was our first affiliation after moving to Houston. And a reminder to all of the annual BCM Charity Art Show, scheduled for next week, and virtual this year. You can view all entries on the auction website including mine, which you can see here. I am enjoying my photography hobby. The show is organized each year by the Graduate Student Council Outreach Committee. A minimum of 40 percent of the proceeds is donated to the Texas Children’s Hospital Periwinkle Arts in Medicine Program.
Lily fans – yes, she does make a special appearance today.
Have a great weekend. Be safe.
Paul Klotman, M.D.
President & CEO
Executive Dean
