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COVID-19 pandemic has challenged and overwhelmed most healthcare institutions and healthcare workers, across the world. Despite being unprepared for this pandemic, frontline workers have worked relentlessly to provide the much-needed care to these patients. Doctors from different branches of medicine, including dermatologists, came forward and played a substantial role in mitigating the impact of this pandemic on the general population. Sadly, in the process, these healthcare workers faced many personal, social, psychological, economic, and health-related issues. The psychological burden and health-related issues received due attention in the main-stream news as well as scientific research papers. With most frontline workers isolated from their families, social media became the new platform to reduce the sense of isolation and share their anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue. This article is aimed at highlighting various challenges faced by healthcare workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cataract is the second leading cause of preventable blindness on the globe. Several programs across the country have been running efficiently to increase the cataract surgical rates and decrease blindness due to cataract. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to a complete halt of these programs and thus accumulating all the elective cataract procedures. At present with the better understanding of the safety precautions among the health care workers and general population the Government of India (GoI) has given clearance for functioning of eye care facilities. In order to facilitate smooth functioning of every clinic, in this paper, we prepared preferred practice pattern based on consensus discussions between leading ophthalmologists in India including representatives from major governmental and private institutions as well as the All India Ophthalmological Society leadership. These guidelines will be applicable to all practice settings including tertiary institutions, corporate and group practices and individual eye clinics. The guidelines include triage, use of personal protective equipment, precautions to be taken in the OPD and operating room as well for elective cataract screening and surgery. These guidelines have been prepared based on current situation but are expected to evolve over a period of time based on the ongoing pandemic and guidelines from GoI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sequence of unexplained pneumonia cases was reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. After several analyses, in January 2020, the World Health Organization temporarily named this new virus as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). It is found that 2019-nCoV is abundantly present in nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions of affected patients and it is found to be transmitted through the saliva and the feco–oral routes since its spread is through potential person-to-person transmission route which is predominantly thought to be respiratory droplet/contact in nature. Dental surgeons are at tremendous risk of 2019-nCoV infection due to the face-to-face communication and the exposure to aerosols, saliva, blood, and other body fluids and the handling of sharp instruments and also may encounter patients with suspected or confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and will have to act diligently not only to provide care but also at the same time prevent nosocomial spread of infection. The significance of this review is that oral health providers must be aware and be prepared to tackle any imminent infectious diseases like the present coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, which can be life threatening to susceptible patients. This review provides a brief outline of the epidemiology, symptoms, mode of transmission, specific recommendations for dental practice that are suggested for patient screening, infection control strategies to block the person-to-person transmission routes in dental clinics and hospitals, and patient management protocol since there are certain chances of encountering oral emergencies such as acute pulpitis, periapical periodontitis, abscess, dental trauma, children's oral emergencies, and oro-maxillofacial infections during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review was to propose multi-pronged resumption strategies for lacrimal practice in an effort to plan a sustainable recommencement of elective surgeries after we emerge from the peak of COVID-19 pandemic. The strategies for lacrimal practice were classified into 7 subtypes, and each of the blueprints were reassessed based on existing information on resumption strategies of elective surgeries from other specialties in COVID-19 era. The specific needs of lacrimal practice were then added to construct algorithms summarizing the resumption strategies. The basic principle of 'primum non nocere' needs to be followed. The overall proposed plan advocates the transition to a more sustainable health care reality in a world where we would still co-exist with COVID-19. A comprehensive effort involving screening, laboratory testing, appropriate triage, effective personal protection and specific precautionary measures for lacrimal clinics and operating room are needed to be able to safely resume elective surgery when the pandemic peak declines. To predict the timing of the resumption of elective surgeries is quite complex and influenced by several geographic, political and economic factors. It is equally important to remember that COVID-19 crisis is a dynamic situation and constantly evolving, hence the strategies provided are subject to change. Strict adherence to standard COVID-19 guidelines combined with effective testing and personal protection strategies can ensure slow yet smooth and safe return to full lacrimal practice after the COVID-19 pandemic calms down. The local government directives, individual and institutional discretion are advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]