Recommendations for endoscopy and clinical practice in gastroenterology

Abstract

According to domestic and foreign literature, COVID-19 (short for COronaVIrus Disease 2019), previously coronavirus infection 2019-nCoV is a potentially severe acute respiratory infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
It is a dangerous disease that can occur both in the form of an acute respiratory viral infection of a mild course and in a severe form, specifi c complications of which may include viral pneumonia, which entails acute respiratory distress syndrome or respiratory failure with the risk of death
The most common symptoms of the disease include fever, fatigue, and dry cough.
The virus spreads by airborne droplets through inhalation of droplets of the virus sprayed in the air during coughing or sneezing, as well as through the spread of the virus on the surface and then into the eyes, nose or mouth. The disease is caused by a new virus, to which there is no acquired immunity, and susceptibility does not depend on age and gender diff erences.
All this creates a high degree of risk of infection for both medical professionals and patients in visiting medical institutions. The risk of infection is especially high during any interventional manipulations and operations related to the respiratory system and the gastrointestinal tract. Such interventions are primarily endoscopic.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that at the moment there are no Sanitary and epidemiological regulations on prevention of COVID-19. At present, hospitals are guided in their work by the orders and instructions of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and Russian Federal Consumer Rights Protection and Human Health Control Service (Rospotrebnadzor).
The usual anti-epidemic measures require adjustment in the new conditions. First of all to introduce zoning in hospitals, especially in endoscopic departments, to collect an epidemiological history before endoscopy, and audio monitoring in the further management of patience.
It is extremely important to create relevant guidelines on the prevention of coronavirus infection using novel experience and scientifi c information including the existing orders and regulations of the healthcare system.