New research published in Anaesthesia (a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) by researchers from the University of Bristol can help to improve the efficiency of surgery and help tackle the growing backlog of surgery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the number of patients waiting for routine surgery in the UK has almost doubled with more than 5.3 million people awaiting surgery including more than 300,000 waiting more than a year. A contributory factor is that COVID-19 precautions have led to many operating theatres working at 75-50% of normal working efficiency. Staff working in operating theatres have been required to take special precautions at the start and end of operations to allow viral particles to disperse from the operating theatre. This is based on the belief that anaesthetic procedures are 'high risk aerosol generating procedures' (AGPs) that produce a mist of small airborne particles called 'aerosols' that increase risk of infection to staff and other patients. These AGPs require the use of high grade personal protective equipment (PPE) and delays of up to 20 min both at the beginning and end of each operation.