key: cord-0985613-gd2rrskp
authors: Anand, E; Moore, P; Cook, E
title: Comment on: Resuming elective operations after COVID-19 pandemic
date: 2020-12-31
journal: Br J Surg
DOI: 10.1093/bjs/znaa035
sha: 127993dc63529d4d7c894e73eabd9fea9501ecf2
doc_id: 985613
cord_uid: gd2rrskp

nan

whether his second positive swab had a significant effect on prognosis as the patient was discharged on postoperative day 4 and has recovered well at home. Early studies suggested that 20 per cent of individuals can have a positive COVID-19 result for 1 month after symptom onset. The risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19 remains a possibility in this instance, with estimates as high as 16.2 per cent.

As hospitals struggle with the ever-increasing backlog of cases, we are clearly in need of a more robust method of preoperative COVID-19 risk assessment, given the questionable validity of a swab result. The impact on both cancer and non-cancer surgery from delayed return to full capacity is yet to be determined.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Resuming elective operations after COVID-19 pandemic