COVID-19 and Audiology

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an unprecedented effect on the delivery of health care in the United States. Most states instituted public quarantine mandates from March to June 2020, and many health-care practices closed for weeks and, often, for months, delaying or suspending health-care access. Audiology practices and services also were affected, which sparked a debate on whether audiology services were essential.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) activities beginning at the birth hearing screening and culminating in early intervention have positively impacted outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families in the United States and worldwide.