Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a world-wide pandemic since its onset in December of 2019. Although, a primary respiratory pathogen, over the ensuing period, its extra-pulmonary effects have come to the forefront. The virus, having multi-organ tropism, has been shown to affect a host of other organs beyond the lung, including the pancreas. The data on pancreatic involvement by COVID-19, however, have been limited. Moreover, whether the effects on the pancreas are due to the direct effects of the virus or is just an epi-phenomenon is debatable. The prevalence of pancreatic injury and degree of injury are the other issues that need to be addressed. Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis and the management of the same in the COVID era needs to be tailored assessing the risk-benefit ratio for the same. Additionally, pancreatic surgery increases not only the morbidity of the patient, but also the risk of the operator and burden on the health care system. Hence, the decision for such major procedures needs to be rationalized for optimum benefit during this pandemic. Similarly, for the endoscopist, pancreatic endoscopy needs to be carefully regulated to reduce risk to both the patient and the physician and yet deliver optimum patient care. This review gives a concise summary of various aspects of pancreatic involvement and pancreatic disease management during this pandemic.

The COVID 19 pandemic has caused mayhem globally since the beginning of 2020. Due to the immune dysfunction inherent to cirrhosis and the poor general condition, patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) are at higher risk of mortality and morbidity due to COVID-19. Recently a number of vaccines against SARS-Cov-2 have been granted approval for emergency use around the globe. Although the phase 2/3 trials of these vaccines show them to be safe and effective in the general population, data in patients with CLD is scarce. The number of patients with CLD enrolled into these trials is small; no liver related adverse effects have been reported yet. Various liver societies have come up with guidelines on vaccination in this population and recommend vaccination on a priority basis. Trials to assess the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccines are under way and are likely to provide valuable insight into this matter.

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