Face mask sales help Barnabas

There they were, braving the crowds by the Square on the weekends, selling face masks and all for a good cause, to raise funds for the Barnabas Connection. Dr. Amy Hernandez and Dr. Eric Price and Nurse Practitioner Anna White.

Donations for the masks totaled $1524 for the weekend of May 2 and the Saturday before Memorial Day. The Barnabas Connection is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides health and human services, client advocacy, community education, and whose services are needed now more than ever with the present situation.

As for the masks, the doctors pitched right in.

“Eighty percent of my practice is now telemedicine,” Price said. “Medicine led then everyone followed. It was important to see the doctor and the change was made for most insurances” to see the doctor over the Internet. He didn’t want people to be without medical help. With society’s change to using the Internet for meetings, and if the internet is not available, telephone visits are still available.”

A few facts from Dr. Price:

• You don’t have to drive to San Marcos to be tested. You can be tested in Wimberley. Contact your local physician.

• Before visiting a business, call them to check on the safety, just to be safe. Remember to keep your social distance of at least 6 feet.

• The importance of masks in preventing the infection can’t be more clear. “I hope people can accept that.”

“There are two ways individuals can spread the disease, Asymptomatic and Presymptomtic. Asymptomatic means they do not show any symptoms. They’re in the community and don’t know they have the virus… presymptomatic is when the patients are exposed to the virus but it had not manifest itself yet.”

Now wearing a mask is not considered out of place anymore and is now considered normal and besides, “It’s a good thing to do for the community.”

As for tracing the disease, locally, “that’s the Hays County Epidemiologist’s, the CDC’s and others’ responsibility.”

Wimberley’s low numbers of cases as compared to the surrounding area is something noticeable. “I’m impressed with the community, working together well. We’re here to support and to help the community,” Price said.