Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has afflicted more than 1.8 million individuals in
over 183 countries and territories, prompting widespread debate about
the mechanisms of disease transmission, personal protection against
spread, and treatment methods. 1 Healthcare workers
represent a uniquely vulnerable population, given their close proximity
to infected patients in settings with abundant fomites, with further
increased risk in the setting of aerosol-generating procedures (AGP).
Scope of practice in otolaryngology necessitates instrumentation of the
upper aerodigestive tract, wherein significant viral loads are found in
both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. As such, in the absence of
widespread screening, otolaryngologists are at heightened risk of
SARS-CoV2 contraction in common practice. For healthcare workers, the
use of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial for the
protection of both patients and providers. In fact, during the SARS-CoV1
epidemic, healthcare workers who used PPE inconsistently were more
likely to develop SARS-CoV1.2 In light of the
widespread shortage of PPE and the high, relative risk of transmission
during head and neck procedures (via mucus, blood, or aerosolized
virions), we present situation-specific guidelines for PPE use by
otolaryngologists during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on our compilation
and collective interpretation of existing recommendations and data.3