The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is unprecedented in our professional lives and much effort and resources will be devoted to care of patients (and HCW) affected by this illness. We must also continue to aim for the same standard of care for our non-COVID respiratory patients, while minimizing risks of infection transmission to our colleagues. This commentary addresses the key paired issues of minimizing performance of diagnostic/staging bronchoscopy in patients with suspected/known lung cancer while maximizing the safety of the procedure with respect to HCW transmission of COVID-19.
- Steinfort, D. P.
- Herth, F. J. F.
- Irving, L. B.
- Nguyen, P. T.
Keywords
- Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification
- Bronchoscopy/*methods
- Comorbidity
- Coronavirus Infections/*epidemiology
- Disease Transmission, Infectious/*prevention & control
- Endosonography/*methods
- Humans
- Infection Control/methods/organization & administration
- *Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis/epidemiology
- Pandemics
- Pneumonia, Viral/*epidemiology
- Safety Management/*trends
- *covid-19
- *bronchoscopy and interventional techniques
- *coronavirus
- *endobronchial ultrasound
- *infectious disease transmission
- *lung cancer
