Background This study aimed to determine the impact of pulmonary complications on death after surgery both before and during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Methods This was a patient-level, comparative analysis of two, international prospective cohort studies: one before the pandemic (January–October 2019) and the second during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (local emergence of COVID-19 up to 19 April 2020). Both included patients undergoing elective resection of an intra-abdominal cancer with curative intent across five surgical oncology disciplines. Patient selection and rates of 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications were compared. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative mortality. Mediation analysis using a natural-effects model was used to estimate the proportion of deaths during the pandemic attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results This study included 7402 patients from 50 countries; 3031 (40.9 per cent) underwent surgery before and 4371 (59.1 per cent) during the pandemic. Overall, 4.3 per cent (187 of 4371) developed postoperative SARS-CoV-2 in the pandemic cohort. The pulmonary complication rate was similar (7.1 per cent (216 of 3031) versus 6.3 per cent (274 of 4371); P = 0.158) but the mortality rate was significantly higher (0.7 per cent (20 of 3031) versus 2.0 per cent (87 of 4371); P < 0.001) among patients who had surgery during the pandemic. The adjusted odds of death were higher during than before the pandemic (odds ratio (OR) 2.72, 95 per cent c.i. 1.58 to 4.67; P < 0.001). In mediation analysis, 54.8 per cent of excess postoperative deaths during the pandemic were estimated to be attributable to SARS-CoV-2 (OR 1.73, 1.40 to 2.13; P < 0.001). Conclusion Although providers may have selected patients with a lower risk profile for surgery during the pandemic, this did not mitigate the likelihood of death through SARS-CoV-2 infection. Care providers must act urgently to protect surgical patients from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Background: Facemasks are recommended to control the COVID-19 pandemic transmission. This study was conducted with a purpose to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practices among general population regarding the usage of facemask during COVID-19 pandemic to limit the spread of the corona virus disease.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted through Google forms. Questionnaire consisted of 7, 3 and 5 questions on knowledge, attitude and practices respectively. Questionnaire was shared on social media. Score of 1 was assigned to correct response and score of 0 for incorrect response, thus making a maximum score of 7 for a subject. Accordingly, score was <3 depicts individual had poor knowledge. 3-5 and >5 had good and excellent knowledge respectively.Results: Out of total 500 participants, we had 242 (48.4%) males and 258 (51.6%) females. The age of participants ranged from 20 to 60 years. Majority of participants (25.2%) were from Kerala State. Almost 97.6% reported that it was necessary to wear mask in current situation. The overall mean knowledge score was 5. The mean knowledge score was higher among females (5.07%) as compared to males (4.93%) and the difference was statistically significant. When they were asked if they know the correct steps of wearing a mask, almost 82.5% reported “yes” but while asking for coverage of mask on face only 75% were aware of it correctly.Conclusions: The overall knowledge of our study population was good. The knowledge was excellent for the age group of 20–30 and post-graduates.

Dental health professionals are large untapped resource, still have not been utilized to its full capacity. Even brief chair side-based interventions can come a long way in motivating and assisting tobacco users to quit. Many studies have highlighted the potential barriers in utilization of dental health professional to their full potential and capacities in tobacco cessation. Continuous repeated emphasis on incorporation of tobacco cessation training at the undergraduate level and after completion of dental degree is important. Much has been focused in the first three of 5A’s in the previous years. Step are needed to prioritize tobacco cessation activities focusing in last two (assists and arrange) of 5A’s in the coming years to come. The present study tries to understand the role of dental health professional and their contribution in controlling this global tobacco use problem. Understanding the multifaceted approaches to tobacco cessation by the dental health professionals so as to achieve higher “quit” rates and delivering of comprehensive counseling.

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