COVID-19 Pandemic and Radiology: Facts, Resources, and Suggestions for Near-term Protocols

The purpose of this editorial is to offer a synopsis about the COVID-19 pandemic and to present some recommendations as they relate to the practice of radiology, focused on Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). Health departments and professional bodies around the world are issuing guidelines for personal protection and patient handling in radiology. In High-Income Countries (HIC) these guidelines have been periodically updated as knowledge evolves about COVID-19 viral disease (1,2,3). The HIC guidelines assume the availability of portable radiography, ability to reserve one of many CT scanners only for COVID-19 patients, supply of a whole range of personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizers and a variety of disinfecting chemicals. Nevertheless the exponential spread of COVID-19 is causing shortages of supplies in regions with supposedly “unlimited” resources. Much continues to be published on the rapidly evolving body of knowledge on this highly contagious respiratory infection, with a much higher mortality compared to the Influenza-A virus responsible for respiratory disease during “flu season” (4). Concurrently, speculative and false information is being exchanged on social media by “experts” from all walks of life offering “science” on the current pandemic. We urge our readers to use resources from established health organizations and universities, many of whom are referenced in this editorial.