Dear Members and Friends of Mary Susan Moore Medical Society,

Who could have predicted that we would start the year 2020 with a viral pandemic powerful enough to bring almost everything in our daily lives to a complete stop? As SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of the COVID-19 infection) forces us to adjust to a new normal of social distancing, telecommuting and online education, we want you to know that Mary Susan Moore is mobilizing to actively confront the impact that this pandemic is having on our community. The stress of this crisis on society has put a spotlight on socioeconomic issues that we as black female physicians know all too well because they have plagued our community for years. Recent data suggest that there are alarming disparities in COVID-19 deaths among blacks compared to whites in cities like Chicago, Detroit and New York. In Louisiana, African Americans account for 70% of COVID-19 deaths but only account for about a third of the population. In the city of Houston, the disparity is not as large, but still does exist.

These disparities might be shocking for some but are not surprising to us. We know that COVID-19 is fatally linked to factors that are more prevalent among African Americans than those of other racial and ethnic backgrounds including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and certain immune compromising conditions. We understand that a lack of health insurance and access to health care limits the ability of those in underserved communities to receive adequate medical care. According to the Affordable Care Act, data published by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2017, only 7% of blacks compared to 48% of whites participated in the health insurance marketplace open enrollment period. We can identify with those who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their employment in the service sector, lack of education or differential treatment with respect to provider screening bias and limited access to COVID-19 test sites. Most of us have been personally touched by someone whose life has been dramatically changed physically, mentally or economically by this virus.

Now, the question is, what are we going to do? In response to our community, members and supporters, MSMMS plans to take the following actions:

1. Establish and maintaining a list of free and sliding scale COVID-19 testing sites on the MSMMS Website
2. Create short educational videos on COVID-19 specific topics that can be shared with patients. community members, friends and family
3. Reactivate the closed MSMMS Facebook page so that it can be used by black female physicians to share afro-centric COVID-19 information on prevention, clinical testing, treatment, research, and selfcare.
4. Create an online portal that will allow individuals in our community to submit COVID-19 and other health related questions for answers.
5. Establish a MSMMS Special Council, led by Dr. Keisha Davis, that will help guide our organization in taking an active role in monitoring and mitigating the effects of COVID-19 in the Greater Houston African American community. The first council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21st at 7 PM. Join the private MSMMS Facebook page for meeting information or email marysusanmoore@hotmail.com.

We encourage you to help us take advantage of this opportunity to promote positive change in our community. We need your assistance now more than ever. Please join us by getting involved in one of the projects listed above.

Sincerely,
Mary Susan Moore Medical Society Executive Board

CDC Corona Virus Self-Checker

City of Houston (screening required before location is provided)

COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Harris County Corona Virus Testing

Online screening required before location is provided

Harris County Public Health COVID-19 resource line at 832-927-7575

Telephone screen

United Memorial Medical Center (screening done at location)

• UMMC; 510 W. Tidwell Road, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Forest Brook Middle School; 7525 Tidwell Road, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to  4 p.m.
• Jacinto City Town Center Community Building: Mobile testing for seniors and first responders is now underway at 1025 Oates Rd in Jacinto City. Due to the size restrictions of this testing apparatus, they are asking seniors and first responders to pre-register for testing at this location through the City of Jacinto City.
• Cullen Middle School, 6900 Scott St.

This site is another collaboration between Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and United Memorial Medical Center. Bring a drivers license, a water bill or something that can be used to record in the registration documentation. Anyone with a positive test will get a call from the Harris County Health Department.

Legacy Community Health (screening done at location, sliding scale)

Patient can be screened at any of the Legacy Community Health Clinics listed below. Clinics with satellite areas for COVID testing are bolded.

• Legacy Baker-Ripley, 6500 Rookin Street, Bldg B, Ste 200
• Legacy Bissonnet, 12667 Bissonnet
• Legacy Branard, 401 Branard St., Level 3
• Legacy Deer Park Center St., 3430 Center St., Deerpark
• Legacy Fifth Ward, 3811 Lyons Ave.
• Legacy Lyons, 3811 Lyons Ave.
• Legacy Mapleridge, 6550 Mapleridge Street, Ste. 106
• Legacy Montrose, 1415 California St.
• Legacy Northline, 5598-A1 North Freeway, Northtown Plaza
• Legacy Santa Clara, 5616 Lawndale St., Ste A108
• Legacy San Jacinto, 4301 Garth Suite 400, Baytown
• Legacy Sharpstown, 6677 Rookin
• Legacy Southwest, 6441 High Star Dr.
• Legacy Central Beaumont, 450 North 11th St.

Sugar Land (screening done at the location)

Sugar Land at the Smart Financial Center at 18111 Lexington Blvd

This site is another collaboration between Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and United Memorial Medical Center. The onsite tests are being prioritized for those who are showing symptoms and those who are high risk. Testing runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and results are normally available within 24 hours.

Fort Bend (screening required before going to testing site)

Fort Bend County and AccessHealth have collaborated to open the first county-supported COVID-19 testing site and online screening tool.

After screening is complete, people receive a unique testing code that will be required at the testing site. Initial testing efforts will focus on those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 include:

• Healthcare professionals and first responders
• People aged 60 years and older
• People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
• People who have serious heart conditions
• People who are immuno-compromised including cancer treatment
• People of any age with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥40) or certain underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well-controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure, or liver disease. 
• Pregnant women

Galveston County Health District (cost is free, must make appointment)

City Hall, 500 Walker St., League City
Thursday and Friday

Appointments can be made between 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM. starting Wednesday by calling 409-356-9950, the release reads. Residents being tested should bring ID. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.

Texas City at the Galveston County Health District
To make an appointment call 409-978-4040 from 8:00 AM.- 1:00 PM.

INSURANCE COVERED TEST SITES

RoweDocs (home test kits)
rowedocs.com

Walgreens (cost covered by insurance)

• Store site at 14531 Westheimer Road
• Pasadena at 101 West Southmore Avenue