Practical Challenges of Mask-to-Mask Encounters with Patients with Head and Neck Cancers amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced a re-design of care in radiation oncology. Perhaps more than any other disease site we commonly see, the evaluation and treatment of head and neck cancer has posed the greatest risk of COVID-19 transmission between patients and radiotherapy providers. In our early experience with the novel coronavirus, several staff members were exposed to a COVID-positive patient and this caused us to devise policies and procedures to mitigate further risk in a way that could practically be employed across a large health system while not compromising care delivery. Here, we formulate a concise summary of simple steps, including a novel thermoplastic mask fitting technique and procedures for intraoral immobilization devices, to guide practices and provide new layers of protection for both patients and staff.