COVID-19 Resources

Nobody’s certain when the first COVID-19 vaccines will be available, but you can take important steps now to make sure you’re ready to vaccinate patients quickly once the shots arrive, state health leaders said this week.

The federal Health and Human Services (HHS) Department recently began accepting applications for a new round of emergency funding for physicians and practices affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

TMA physician experts created a chart to help Texans make informed choices about which activities are safest to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physician members of the TMA COVID-19 Task Force and the TMA Committee on Infectious Diseases prepared the chart. The doctors rated the activities assuming that participants are wearing a mask when practical, staying at least 6 feet away from people who are not immediate family members, and washing their hands frequently.

• COVID Pediatric Respiratory Guidance
• COVID-19 Pediatric Symptom Severity Chart and Parental Guide - English Version
• COVID-19 Pediatric Symptom Severity Chart and Parental Guide - Spanish Version
• Notice to Physicians: Understanding COVID-19 Test Results - In English and Spanish
• Notice to Physicians COVID 19 Return to School Letter for Students - Form
• Customizable COVID-19 Mask Exemption Form
• Customizable COVID-19 TMA/TPS Parent Letter
• TMA/TPS Letter to Physicians
• Graphic: Does Your School’s Infection Control Plan Stand Up to COVID-19?
• Guide for Physicians: Achieving Successful Returns to School
• Decision Tree for School Nurses Evaluating Symptomatic Students

As you probably are aware, convalescent plasma is one of the most promising options being studied for COVID-19. That’s why physicians should encourage recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma. If you need more tips and resources to deliver that message to patients, the Texas Medical Association has created a webpage on donating plasma. The webpage includes links to donation sites and social media assets you can share to your own social media pages.

Looking for resources to promote health equity? TMA’s Social Determinants of Health Resource Center provides a wealth of information for physicians seeking to learn more about social factors that drive health outcomes. The resource center includes links to educational material, screening tools, care management resources and more.