• Alberto Maria Saibene, Fabiana Allevi, Tareck Ayad, Tomislav Baudoin, Manuel Bernal-Sprekelsen, Giovanni Briganti, Sean Carrie, Per Cayé-Thomasen, Sara Dahman Saidi, Nicolas Dauby, John Fenton, Wojciech Golusiński, Ludger Klimek, Andrée-Anne Leclerc, Yves Longtin, Giuditta Mannelli, Miguel Mayo-Yáñez, Cem Meço, Osama Metwaly, François Mouawad, Kazimierz Niemczyk, Ulrik Pedersen, Krzysztof Piersiala, Jan Plzak, Marc Remacle, Nathalie Rommel, Hesham Saleh, Dawid Szpecht, Miroslav Tedla, Camilla Tincati, Manuel Tucciarone, Karol Zelenik, and Jerome R Lechien.
• Otolaryngology Unit, ASST Santi Paolo E Carlo, Department of Health Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Antonio di Rudinì, 8, 20142, Milan, Italy. alberto.saibene@unimi.it.
• Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Oct 1; 278 (10): 4091-4099.

PurposeSARS-CoV-2 vaccines are a key step in fighting the pandemic. Nevertheless, their rapid development did not allow for testing among specific population subgroups such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, or elaborating specific guidelines for healthcare personnel working in high infection risk specialties, such as otolaryngology (ORL). This clinical consensus statement (CCS) aims to offer guidance for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination to this high-risk population based on the best evidence available.MethodsA multidisciplinary international panel of 33 specialists judged statements through a two-round modified Delphi method survey. Statements were designed to encompass the following topics: risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and use of protective equipment in ORL; SARS-Cov-2 infection and vaccines and respective risks for the mother/child dyad; and counseling for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnant, breastfeeding, or fertile healthcare workers (PBFHW). All ORL PBFHW were considered as the target audience.ResultsOf the 13 statements, 7 reached consensus or strong consensus, 2 reached no consensus, and 2 reached near-consensus. According to the statements with strong consensus otorhinolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or with childbearing potential should have the opportunity to receive SARS-Cov-2 vaccination. Moreover, personal protective equipment (PPE) should still be used even after the vaccination.ConclusionUntil prospective evaluations on these topics are available, ORL-HNS must be considered a high infection risk specialty. While the use of PPE remains pivotal, ORL PBFHW should be allowed access to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination provided they receive up-to-date information.© 2021. The Author(s).

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