The performance of surgeries, especially elective surgeries, has been affected as healthcare facilities responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, surgery and other interventional procedures are invaluable aspects of healthcare even during disasters, mass casualty incidents, and even during pandemics. An organized and well-planned approach is needed to protect healthcare workers performing surgery and to rationally use available PPEs.

This document aims to provide guidance on how to assess the risk of COVID-19 transmission to the surgical team and recommend the necessary PPE to be used for every scenario. This is intended for surgeons, infectious disease specialists, internists and other physicians who will perform procedures or evaluate patients prior to such procedures. Other personnel involved in the surgical team might also find this document useful. Optimizing operating room infrastructure and other infection prevention and control measures are not within the scope of this document. Recommendations from this document may change as new evidence becomes available.

DOWNLOAD the Risk Assessment of Surgeries in the Context of COVID-19 document here.