COVID-19: An otolaryngological perspective

Otolaryngologists around the world are amongst the front-line fighters against the pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As knowledge about the disease epidemiology and clinical profile is rapidly evolving, we are still not sure about many different aspects of the disease transmission and presentation. Otolaryngologists regularly deal with the upper aerodigestive tract, which is the portal of transmission and site of multiplication of the virus. There is a substantial risk of getting infected and transmitting the disease further. We discuss the various recommendations pertaining to the emergency and elective procedures in otolaryngology, and head and neck surgeries in these difficult times, so as to sensitise the clinicians while dealing with such cases, till the pandemic is under control and things get back to normal.