Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2020
ReviewOtolaryngology Providers Must Be Alert for Patients with Mild and Asymptomatic COVID-19.
More than half of COVID-19 patients are afebrile early in the disease course, yet mildly ill or asymptomatic patients can still spread SARS-CoV-2 with high efficiency. Atypically presenting patients may be seen in noninfectious disease settings such as otolaryngology, which is a specialty prone to occupational exposure. ⋯ Otolaryngology providers should maintain high clinical suspicion for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. Protective strategies should be implemented including preappointment screening, triaging, restriction of nonurgent visits and surgeries, telemedicine, and appropriate personal protective equipment use.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2020
Pediatric Otolaryngology Divisional and Institutional Preparatory Response at Seattle Children's Hospital after COVID-19 Regional Exposure.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus resulting in high mortality in the adult population but low mortality in the pediatric population. The role children and adolescents play in COVID-19 transmission is unclear, and it is possible that healthy pediatric patients serve as a reservoir for the virus. ⋯ A significant limitation of this commentary is that it reflects a single institution's joint effort at a moment in time but does not take into consideration future circumstances that could change practice patterns. We still hope dissemination of our overall response at this moment, approximately 8 weeks after our region's first adult case, may benefit other pediatric institutions preparing for COVID-19.