ESGE and ESGENA position statement on gastrointestinal endoscopy and the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of COVID-19 disease due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus has recently spread from its original cluster in Hubei province, China throughout the world, and has been declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Europe is severely affected with an exponential increase of number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates (ESGENA) joined forces to provide guidance in order to assure the highest level of protection against COVID-19 for both patients and health care personnel. Together we have prepared the ESGE and ESGENA Position Statement on gastrointestinal endoscopy and the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be revised on a regular basis and is available on both the ESGE and ESGENA websites. Source: ESGE and ESGENA