Tweetcap: Permanente physicians show their masks to promote awareness

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the United States, many members of the medical community are promoting the wearing of protective masks. The effort falls in line with CDC recommendations urging individuals to use face coverings when in public, particularly in settings where social distancing is difficult, to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

To advance this cause, Dawn Clark, MD, chief physician wellness officer for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG), took to Twitter, prompting people to change their profile pictures to ones of them modeling protective masks. …

Show us your mask! Starting Monday, June 29, change your profile picture to a selfie of you sporting your protective face mask. #SaveaLifeWearaMask@EdEllisonMD @NancyGinMD @KPDocSG @mymomthesurgeon @AlexMMTri @cna006 @RaminDavidoff @PHonsberger

— Dawn Clark, MD (@scpmgmdwellness) June 29, 2020

… many Permanente physicians were quick to reply to the thread and share their mask selfies …

Wear a mask. Save a life. Great idea!!#SavealifeWearamask pic.twitter.com/OekKD0XjhU

— Mercie DiGangi, DO (@DrMDDO) June 29, 2020

Great idea to amplify messages about ?. Profile photo too small imo ? so will continue to RT messages about ? and #Handwashing ?? #WearAMaskSaveALife https://t.co/FTG3m5biUm https://t.co/sNduvihR0y

— Chang Na MD MPH (@cna006) June 29, 2020

… Permanente physician leaders Edward Ellison, MD, and Nancy Gin, MD, jumped on board and explained how wearing masks can help protect others …

Thank you @scpmgmdwellness & @Girlfriendsmedi! We know in medicine the cardinal rule is “First do no harm”. Let’s all take that pledge. As #COVID19 spreads, protect yourself & others: wash your hands, continue social distancing, & wear a mask. #SaveALifeWearaMask #LoveWearsaMask pic.twitter.com/RT2eXJ6IMk

— Ed Ellison, MD (@EdEllisonMD) June 30, 2020

Protect yourself, loved ones, & the community. Make it colorful, personalized, messaged, cheerful, or blinged out. But please – Wear a Mask! ?#COVID19 #WearYourMask #KeepUsSafe @CAgovernor https://t.co/O0ubwlcRZU

— Nancy Gin, MD (@NancyGinMD) June 25, 2020

… while a number of Permanente doctors shared their personal motivations for donning masks …

#SocialDistancing #WearAMaskSaveALife #OURKP #SDCMS #CMA @SDCMS @CMAdocs @PermanenteDocs @KPSanDiego @KPSCALnews @EdEllisonMD @Kevin_Faulconer @CMA_CEO https://t.co/D6JnKV33yF

— Michael Lalich, MD (@kplalich) July 2, 2020

Saturday clinic #FamilyDoc – I wear a mask to protect my patients, they’re masked to protect me and my team. #WashYourHands – protect yourself #WearAMask – protect others #DefeatCOVID19 @KP_LAMC @PermanenteDocs pic.twitter.com/EqQWhW6TBx

— Jack Der-Sarkissian, MD (@DrJDS) June 28, 2020

Heroes. #WearAMask https://t.co/Fqp5wBkA1L

— Todd Newton MD (@ToddNewtonMD1) July 7, 2020

… others displayed fun fashion statements with their protective gear …

A new mask for the collection! ? ? ? #WearAMaskSaveALife #SundayMorning pic.twitter.com/pgHYQje7ml

— Robert Tuchler MD (@NY_Tuck) July 5, 2020

Wear your mask to protect yourself, your family, your elders, your friends, your neighbors. Practice Social distance, frequent hand washing and soon we can back to normalcy. #LAGalaxy @LAGalaxy @CMAdocs @PermanenteDocs pic.twitter.com/QceOAJGX1J

— Javier M. Sanchez MD (@docsanchezmd) June 30, 2020

#SaveaLifeWearaMask Show us your mask! Starting Monday, June 29, change your profile picture to a selfie of you sporting your protective face mask. @EdEllisonMD @NancyGinMD @RaminDavidoff @Girlfriendsmedi @RobertaDoucet @DrMarkSchuster @PHonsberger pic.twitter.com/RJE2nzBOPB

— Dr. La Tanya Hines (@Girlfriendsmedi) June 29, 2020

… and some Permanente physicians even had their families get in on the action …

We were happy to take advantage of the early members-only entry at @CheyenneMtnZoo today! It would’ve been better if masks were mandatory for visitors. Too many ppl by 10am without them. If my 3 year old can wear a mask for over 2 hours then anyone can. #savealifewearamask pic.twitter.com/Qn3Hlb88VU

— Jena Reichelt, MD (@JenaReichelt) June 30, 2020

… the Permanente Medical Groups and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals also promoted the call to wear masks and other safety precautions to help flatten the curve …

Keep practicing physical distancing and stay home whenever possible. Susanna Block, MD, (@SBlockMD1), pediatrics specialist @kpwashington, explains how parents can help children adhere to cloth face masks and coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. #MaskUpWA pic.twitter.com/pRmMmhqv78

— Kaiser Permanente WA (@kpwashington) June 30, 2020

Face coverings are an important way we can work together to #flattenthecurve, but a face covering worn incorrectly can be unsafe. Physician Mona K. Gahunia, DO, explains: https://t.co/1quAytut6M #masks #facemasks #facecoverings @PermanenteDocs #coronavirus #PermanenteMedicine pic.twitter.com/jXRB2ESzam

— Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medicine (@MdAtlPermanente) July 3, 2020

… and other major health organizations across the country are doing their own social media outreach to spread the word about sporting masks and other best practices during COVID-19.

We join @ahahospitals and @ANANursingWorld in calling on Americans to wear face masks, wash hands frequently and practice physical distancing to help stop the surge of #COVID19 cases. https://t.co/O8Q8AIWlm3 (via: @Forbes)

— AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn) July 7, 2020

Continue social distancing, wearing a #FaceCovering, and washing your hands frequently to help protect yourself and others around you from #COVID19. Learn more: https://t.co/1SadSf21K4. #COVIDStopsWithMe pic.twitter.com/KXr09PPvM9

— HHS.gov (@HHSGov) July 2, 2020

Note: To learn more about mask safety and protecting yourself and others from COVID-19, click here.