Published online Aug 16, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i23.6582
Peer-review started: February 2, 2021
First decision: March 16, 2021
Revised: March 28, 2021
Accepted: April 14, 2021
Article in press: April 14, 2021
Published online: August 16, 2021
Processing time: 183 Days and 20.4 Hours
The coronavirus disease 2019, which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread rapidly, evolving into a full-blown pandemic. We would like to report our experience after 1 year of this pandemic in the surgical service of a district hospital in Spain. There have been many changes (including new protocols) that our service and the hospital have undergone, to adapt to the new situation. We believe that this experience can be useful for other professionals who have lived and are living a similar situation.
Core Tip: The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus has created a complex, unexpected and uncertain situation that has gravely affected health systems, in Spain and worldwide, provoking significant stress among healthcare personnel. This article describes the experiences and reactions of the surgery service in a district hospital in southern Spain during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, detailing the changes made to the daily routine in order to cope with this new situation.