Dear IFNE members, friends and colleagues,
We are experiencing a strange time. Worldwide the coronavirus has affected our life. What initially started in China, has spread very rapidly all over the world. Many cities and regions are lockdown to delay the spread of the virus. The capacity of our health systems cannot compete with that rapid spread. The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is far more aggressive and deadly than the influenza virus. Infection can lead to a live-threatening COVID-19-pneumonia. With severe sadness I am following the horrible news from Italy. Italian hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed by thousands of patients in serious conditions with overcrowded intensive care units. Germany is preparing for the infectious wave which will come in approximately 2 weeks. In all hospitals, elective cases are not admitted. All elective surgeries have been cancelled and we only operate emergency and urgent tumor cases.
The staff from all disciplines, doctors and nurses, had been trained in the treatment of COVID -19 infection. Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) will preoccupy us far longer than expected. Beside the health issue, the economy world-wide will be severely affected.
For those of you who are practicing endonasal surgery, please click here to read some very important and valuable information from Stanford University.
For us, as a young society, the coronavirus pandemic has evil effects as well. All planned workshops in the near future have to be cancelled. We can only do webinars and virtual courses. Hopefully, we can meet in India in September.
I wish you and your families to stay healthy and well.
Henry W. S. Schroeder
President, International Federation of NeuroEndoscopy
Greifswald, March 21, 2020