Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic with SARS-CoV2 infecting millions of people and resulting in thousands of hospitalizations and deaths worldwide. Research examining the origins and structure of the virus, its pathogenesis, and the clinical features of its acute presentation is growing at a fast pace. However, as a nascent pandemic, the long-term sequelae to be expected in those who have survived the acute disease are largely unknown. SARS-CoV2 infection manifests primarily as atypical pneumonia, but in severe disease other complications are common, including cardiac and thromboembolic disease. Scuba diving is a passion for many recreational divers, but, more importantly, it also represents a critical component of the commercial diving industry and scientific research.

 

UCSD runs a diving medicine clinic that sees approximately 250 divers per year, most of whom are employed as commercial and scientific divers. As society begins to re-open after quarantines, many of these divers are presenting to our (and others’) clinic requesting guidance and clearance on returning to dive after the pandemic.