On January 15, 2021, a collaborative group of audiology professional bodies in the United Kingdom released an updated version of a document titled Audiology and Otology Guidance During COVID-19.

The document begins by stating that services should be offered in line with any local employer guidelines; however, a range of audiological services are recommended including face-to-face appointments as well as communication via digital communication (i.e., telephone, video, email).

Academy representative to the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) Richard Danielson, PhD, shares the recently published NHCA guideline, Best Practices Guidelines for Safely Conducting Hearing Testing During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

As of May 2020, Google Meet will be offering their video conferencing product for free.

This service offers the ability to schedule, screen share, and provide real-time captions. As more audiologists find themselves in the telehealth realm, it is essential to find effective ways to communicate with patients with hearing loss, and the speech-recognition software through Google Meet may be a viable solution for these patients.