From Days of "Nonverbal Communication" to Days of “Masks” and "EVisit": Effective Palliative and Cancer Care Communication in the Times of Covid-19

Language is considered as the main tool ofcommunication, but in fact, the majority ofcommunications is nonverbal. During a patientphysicianvisit, health related information is beingtransferred not only by spoken words, but also by thetone of voice, facial expression, pauses, sighs as wellas other behaviors and body gesture.1If we consider words as the verbal part ofcommunication, whatever remains would benonverbal. We, physicians, are trained to look fornonverbal and behavioral clues to achieve aneffective communication (e.g. blushed face, loweredeyebrows or tightened fists).