This story is part of Your Communities In Action, a continuing series on LGBTQ2 folks coping and caring for each other during the COVID-19 crisis.
Dr. Leo Moore knows how fearful people are of going to the doctor. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Moore, medical director for clinic services at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and advocate for HIV and PrEP awareness for Black gay and bisexual men, says people appear even more afraid—not of going to a doctor, but having access to one.
That inspired him to share his medical experience online. It’s his way to provide clear, concise, evidence-based health and wellness information for everyday people—advice that’s not only accessible but practical.
The concept began with a couple of Facebook live chats in early March where he answered questions about the pandemic. While it was his first Facebook chat, he saw how COVID-19 was affecting his loved ones, and he knew he had to act.
“I was receiving messages from friends and family saying that they were scared to leave their homes due to fear that COVID-19 was in the air,” Moore says, “or because they saw so many stories about the number of people being infected that they equated COVID-19 with a death sentence, even though we medical providers know that 80 percent of people will have a mild illness and fully recover.”
When the Facebook conversation ended, he decided to shoot a few videos answering frequently asked questions about COVID-19. He found that by doing so, he was also creating new tools to help people navigate handwashing and shut down misinformation and myths around COVID-19. topics That’s when “The Practical MD” Youtube channel was born.
Dr. Moore recognizes that sometimes advice gets lost in translation because providers use terminology that the public doesn’t always understand—and many are afraid to ask for clarification. Instead, Moore’s channel aims to both arm people with knowledge and hope.
“I see ‘The Practical MD’ as a vehicle to give people the inside scoop,” Moore says. “I recognize that even the small changes can have a huge impact on someone’s life.” And by small changes, Moore means something as basic as access to fact-based information.
As both a medical practitioner and a leader in the Los Angeles community, Moore is hoping that “The Practical MD” will inspire people to do things differently.
“So many of our habits are learned over time, in part because we have not been taught any other way,” he says. “I just hope ‘The Practical MD’ will eliminate the guesswork and provide folks with not only videos but other helpful tools to achieve optimal health.”
Now, that is practical.
Dr. Leo Moore is a public health advocate and all views and opinions expressed are his own and not a representation of the L.A. County department of health.
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