Published online Oct 14, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i38.5749
Peer-review started: April 28, 2020
First decision: May 15, 2020
Revised: May 27, 2020
Accepted: September 8, 2020
Article in press: September 8, 2020
Published online: October 14, 2020
Processing time: 168 Days and 17.1 Hours
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), various measures have been taken to protect against the infection. As droplet and contact transmission are the main routes of COVID-19 infection, endoscopy centers are considered to be high-risk areas for exposure to COVID-19. We have undertaken several countermeasures in our endoscopic center during the pandemic, and have gained significant experience in terms of prevention and control of COVID-19. We here present our experience and strategies adopted for preventing hospital infection in our endoscopy center during the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe our management of the environment, endoscope, patients, and medical staff, and our self-made masks.
Core Tip: This opinion review presents our experience and strategies adopted for preventing hospital infection in an endoscopy center located in Western China during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We describe our three-level screening strategy and an innovative self-made gastroscope isolated mask. We provide valuable information for China and other countries suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.