Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus causing the COVID-19 disease created considerable complications and disruptions due to it's pandemic spread. The nature of the disease left certain clinical specialties more vulnerable than others, causing serious problems with organization of care of patients. Most studies concentrated on protocols and strategies to control the situation and reduce further spread amongst medical fields. Only few were designed to identify the various issues faced by doctors. We decided to design a questionnaire addressing relevant matters for doctors working in the field of ear, nose and throat (ENT). This was then sent to all the members of the Czech Society of Otorhinolaryngology. All ENT doctors were invited to fill out the survey within a stipulated time. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a pandemic situation amongst such a high risk specialty. Our results showed a significant difference between the first cases of COVID-19 and progress of the disease during April 2020 in terms of workplace preparation, adequacy of personal protective equipment and other disposable aids. There was also inadequate support of medical personnel within the ENT practices. Furthermore, financial losses were also experienced due to mainly patient-related problems. In conclusion, the obtained results were used to formulate some recommendations for the public, patients, medical staff and employers. These suggestions will hopefully help avoid a repetition of the glitches if faced with another pandemic situation.
Highlights
A pandemic situation a rare occurrence, cannot be considered an alien phenomenon
The same pattern was seen with regard to personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure safe ENT care to prevent infection and spread of COVID-19 (Fig. 2)
Nose and throat symptoms may precede the development of severe COVID-19, during such a pandemic, patients with sore throat, cough, dyspnoea, hyposmia/anosmia with a travel history to regions with confirmed COVID19 cases, should be considered as potential COVID-19 patients [20]
Summary
A pandemic situation a rare occurrence, cannot be considered an alien phenomenon. The burden of a pandemic disease relates to problems encountered immediately during the situation and continues further to a period of time when the situation stabilizes within a defined environment and subsequently globally. The eradication of such rampant disease is usually impossible, so the main goal is keeping the situation under control. This time, Czech Republic encountered the virus on the 1st of March 2020 with the first 3 new cases. A state of emergency was declared across the country on the 12th March with lockdown measures. In a span of 2 months, more than 8000 cases were reported across the country
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