Our first idea was not just to visualize defined results from the CovidSurg Collaborative, but to pick a general aspect of their studies that applies directly to the current situation in Western countries. Browsing published work from CovidSurg, especially their study concerning the ideal time to perform surgical interventions on patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection, got us interested in planned (elective) surgery in this context. As surgery is associated with significantly higher mortality and complication rates in infected patients since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a need for more careful and risk-based preoperative decision-making. We therefore studied the results of a study published in the scientific journal Anaesthesia and chose to create a simplified overview for medical laymen and women, including important risk factors currently connected with planned (elective) surgery.

The main focus of our graphics is giving patients who are about to undergo planned (elective) surgery an overview about the factors that should be considered when facing the decision whether and when to undergo surgery during the coronavirus pandemic.

The key message is to schedule the optimal date for elective surgery during the current global crisis based on an adequate risk-benefit assessment. Every intervention as well as every patient´s personal risks and expected benefits are individual and need discussing with the  treating surgeons. As a result, an informed and well-considered decision on elective surgery may lead to better outcomes, including lower mortality and morbidity rates.

The factors that need to be considered are manifold – among other aspects whether the patients are already vaccinated as well as their own medical conditions and history. After infection with SARS-CoV-2, if possible they should (as a general advice) wait at least seven weeks and be free of COVID-symptoms at surgery to reduce the risks for complications.

Since our target group is everyone who is about to have planned surgery, we wanted the style of our graphics to be accessible and inviting. We decided to present our material via a comic-like visualization and chose colors that aim to create a modern and appealing look. Getting feedback from other participants of the seminar, we jointly figured out aspects that would improve the accessibility of the information and adapted our work accordingly. Among other things, we reconsidered the symmetry of our graphics and the visualization of data in the included chart. We also received support from Prof. Brittany Bankhead-Kendall, one of the US-American leads of the CovidSurg Collaborative, who gave us some helpful advice on our graphics and new ideas as well as a context to the whole project in general.

Our illustrations might be used in waiting rooms of doctors‘ offices or hospitals‘ as a poster so patients who are considering elective surgery can familiarize themselves with what to address in discussions with their treating surgeons.