COVID-19 Evidence Bulletin 39
UK Guidance
Public Health England
PHE Literature Digest
13th Nov 2020 16th Nov 2020 18th Nov 2020
Evaluating detection of SARS-CoV-2: AntiBodies at Home study The EDSAB-HOME research study is evaluating the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using home testing kits. Updated: 18 November 2020
COVID-19: comparison of geographic allocation of cases in England by lower tier local authority Side-by-side comparison of COVID-19 cases by lower tier local authority and specimen date, based on previous and updated geographic allocation methodologies. Updated: 17 November 2020
COVID-19: geographical allocation of positive cases Statement on the geographical allocation of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. Updated: 16 November 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Cohort pool testing for coronavirus (COVID-19). 16th November Information on pooled testing for universities taking part in the pooled testing pilot. Pooled testing is a safe and effective way of testing swab samples from several people at the same time. Several swab samples are combined into one plastic tube and are processed together to detect COVID-19. 16 November.
New film shows importance of ventilation to reduce spread of COVID-19. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2020. New short film released by the government shows how coronavirus lingers in enclosed spaces, and how to keep your home ventilated. The film is part of the ‘Hands. Face. Space’ campaign. [Subtitled.]
COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable Information for shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19. Updated: 18 November 2020
NHS England & NHS Improvement
Supporting doctors throughout the second COVID-19 wave 11th November Statement from the Chief Medical Officers for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales the GMC and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
COVID-19 therapy: corticosteroids including dexamethasone and hydrocortisone 13th November In accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, systemic corticosteroids should be used in patients with severe and critical COVID-19 disease, but not in patients with non-severe COVID-19.
Key actions: infection prevention and control and testing Published on: 17 November 2020 Last modified on: 17 November 2020
Asymptomatic staff testing for COVID-19 Published on: 16 November 2020 Last modified on: 16 November 2020
Your COVID recovery guidance Published on: 6 November 2020 Last modified on: 16 November 2020
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) standard operating procedure: COVID Oximetry @home Published on: 13 November 2020 Last modified on: 13 November 2020
Interim Clinical Commissioning Policy: Remdesivir for patients hospitalised with COVID-19 (adults and children 12 years and older) Published on: 7 July 2020 Last modified on: 12 November 2020
NHS Confederation
Tackling health inequalities in Suffolk and North East Essex 18th November Suffolk and North East Essex ICS has shared how it is currently tackling health inequalities in the region. By taking an agile approach to tackling health inequalities as a whole system, the ICS has adopted an outcome-based approach that has set them in good stead to support communities affected by COVID-19.
International crisis-led healthcare innovation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 18th November The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures have permeated close to all aspects of daily life, with immediate and profound effects on population health and its wider determinants. Across the globe there has been an explosion of innovation in response to the crisis, enabled by a sense of common purpose, the unfreezing of rigid organisational structures, processes and regulations, and huge increases in public expenditure. This report outlines some of the crisis-led innovations that have helped countries to cope during the first wave of COVID-19 infections and that may shape the ‘new normal’ in the years to come. It collates a number of innovations into six domains (stuff, staff, space, systems, surveillance and society), an adapted version of Farmer’s 4 S’s, which distils the elements that ‘make all the difference in saving lives during an outbreak’. This paper was written by external authors between June and September 2020. As such, it does not necessarily represent the views of the NHS Confederation or its members.
The importance of self care for local populations and for the healthcare system | Dr Phil Moore Blog 19 / 11 / 2020 8.45am
NHS Providers
Reducing health inequalities associated with COVID-19. November 2020 This framework sets out core principles for understanding and taking action on health inequalities that have developed or worsened as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. It is intended to support NHS trusts during delivery of surge plans, as well as in service restoration and recovery action. It has been developed by the Provider Public Health Network with support from Public Health England (PHE), and in conjunction with NHS Providers.
Imperial College Reports
Report 35 - COVID-19 How can we keep schools and universities open? Differentiating closures by economic sector to optimize social and economic activity while containing SARS-CoV-2 transmission 16th November
Report 36 - Modelling ICU capacity under different epidemiological scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic in three western European countries 16th November
Covid Symptom Study
COVID declining across the UK November 13, 2020 According to the ZOE COVID Symptom Study UK Infection Survey figures based on swab tests up to four days ago, the number of daily new COVID-19 cases is now declining across the UK.
International Guidance
WHO
Technical specifications of personal protective equipment for COVID-19 13 November
Guidance on developing a national deployment and vaccination Planning for COVID- 19 vaccines 16th November
Maintaining surveillance of influenza and monitoring SARS-CoV-2 – adapting Global Influenza surveillance and Response System (GISRS) and sentinel systems during the COVID-19 pandemic 19th November
European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
Data on hospital and ICU admission rates and current occupancy for COVID-19 19th November
Contact tracing: public health management of persons, including healthcare workers, who have had contact with COVID-19 cases in the European Union – third update 16th November
Pharmacy
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Guidance on minimising disruptions to the conduct and integrity of clinical trials of medicines during COVID-19. Updated 13 November 2020 This guidance follows on from that published on managing clinical trials during coronavirus (COVID-19) and has been developed to assist those involved in running clinical trials of medicines. This will avoid disruptions as a result of the continuing pandemic and will support appropriate incorporation of the available flexibilities into normal practice for the benefit of trial participants.
European Medicines Agency
Treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 (updated) Last updated: 16/11/2020
COVID-19: latest updates (updated) Last updated: 16/11/2020
Specialist Pharmacy Service
12th November 2020 Summary of COVID-19 medicines guidance: Cancers
16th November 2020 Summary of COVID-19 medicines guidance: Gastrointestinal disorders Summary of COVID-19 medicines guidance: Eyes and vision
Evidence Based Summaries
Centre for Evidence Based Medicine
What does RCGP surveillance tell us about COVID-19 in the community? Heneghan C, Jefferson T. The Cochrane Library
13 November 2020 Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): effective options for quitting smoking during the pandemic updated with link to translation into Thai. Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): regional anaesthesia to reduce drug use in anaesthesia and avoid aerosol generation updated with link to translation into Thai and to include new Cochrane Clinical Answers:
For women undergoing cesarean section, how does hyperbaric bupivacaine compare with isobaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia? What are the effects of regional analgesia for improving long‐term functional outcomes after elective total knee replacement? How does liposomal bupivacaine peripheral nerve block compare with no nerve block or an alternative nerve block for management of postoperative pain?
Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): evidence relevant to critical care updated to include new Cochrane Clinical Answers:
What are the effects of convalescent plasma for people with COVID‐19? What is the accuracy of chest computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of COVID‐19?
Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for wellbeing in the healthcare workforce updated to include new Cochrane Clinical Answer:
What intervention, organizational and individual characteristics impact the implementation of interventions to support frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic, or pandemic? Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): infection control and prevention measures updated to include new Cochrane Clinical Answer: Does an education intervention in nursing homes help prevent the transmission of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)? Special Collection Coronavirus (COVID-19): remote care through telehealth updated to include new Cochrane Clinical Answer: May telemedicine provide support to parents of high‐risk newborn infants?
Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT)
Diabetes: GIRFT Programme National Specialty Report November 2020
Royal Colleges / Associations: Latest & Updated Guidance
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
CSP Clinical Guidance: The Covid-19 vaccine. 13th November The vaccination programmes will be managed by the health departments in each UK country. It has not yet been decided how individual national governments will deliver the vaccine. The CSP is supportive of non-NHS capacity being used to help deliver it. Further advice on this will be made available as governments clarify their plans.
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
COVID-19 - guidance on clinically extremely vulnerable children and young people Updated 17th November
Royal College of Physicians
Multidisciplinary patient review in COVID-19 cohort wards 11th November Royal College of Physicians/Royal College of Nursing/Chartered Society of Physiotherapists/Royal Pharmaceutical Society/NHS England & Improvement ; 2020. This guidance is based on the principles of Modern ward rounds – good practice for multidisciplinary inpatient review, which is being developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Nursing in collaboration with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and NHS England & Improvement Emergency Care Improvement Support Team. This guidance has been developed by the same cross-professional group
Facing the second COVID-19 wave: four lessons we have learnt 17th November
Reports
Did hospital capacity affect mortality during the pandemic’s first wave? The Health Foundation; 2020. Hospital capacity was a concern entering the crisis. The COVID-19 case fatality rate early in the pandemic estimated at around 0.4–1%, and speed of transmission, created a strong imperative for governments to act to protect health systems. Indeed, the risk of cases exceeding hospital capacity has been an important part of the justification for imposing the first, and now a second, lockdown.
RAMP Task 7 Symposium: From exhalation to inhalation, COVID-19 infection risk indoors. Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE); 2020. The Royal Society’s RAMP (Rapid Assistance in Modelling the Pandemic) Environmental and Aerosol Transmission Task Team held an online conference on September 8th. Research findings and perspectives were delivered from various governmental organisations, professional bodies, leading ventilation designers, internationally acclaimed environmental scientists & virologists, and the UK research councils. Click the titles to download the presentations from the symposium.
Covid-19 insights: impact on staff and priorities for recovery. Skills for Health; 2020. This report reveals the extensive mental and physical health impact on the NHS, and health and care professionals across the UK, as a result of working and living through Covid-19. It also identifies organisational priorities for recovery, both as the country enters the next phase of the pandemic and for the longer term.
Brain tumours and COVID-19: the patient and caregiver experience. International Brain Tumour Alliance; 2020. The International Brain Tumour Alliance has released a plain language summary of its international survey on how COVID-19 was affecting brain tumour patients and their families. The survey, in seven languages, was done in collaboration with the Society for Neuro- Oncology COVID-19 Task Force.
A critical juncture for public services: lessons from Covid-19. House of Lords Public Services Committee; 2020. This report finds that decisions were made much more quickly and concludes that many public service providers and councils developed 'remarkable innovations' to meet the Covid- 19 challenge. However, the Committee raises concerns about public service provision during the pandemic for black, Asian and minority ethnic people and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people, homeless people, and people with complex needs.
Selected Papers:
Antibiotics
Using antibiotics wisely for respiratory tract infection in the era of covid-19. [Abstract] Leis JA. BMJ 2020;371:m4125.
Cardiology
The occurrence of cardiovascular complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review Sardinha, D. M., Lima, K. V., Ueno, T. M., Rodrigues, Y. C., Garcez, J. C., Santos, A. L., Ferreira, A. L., Guimaraes, R. J., Lima, L. N. MedRxiv 16th November This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Critical Care
COVID-19 outcomes in UK centre within highest health and wealth band: a prospective cohort study Ken-Dror G, Wade C, Sharma S, et al BMJ Open 2020;10:e042090. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042090
Natural history, trajectory, and management of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in the United Kingdom Brijesh V Patel, MedRxiv 13th November This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Simple Accurate Regression-Based Forecasting of Intensive Care Unit Admissions due to COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada Fisman, D., Tuite, A. MedRxiv 17th November This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Dermatology
Management of urticaria in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review. Abuelgasim E. Dermatologic Therapy 2020;:e14328. Management of urticarial in COVID-19 patients should involve antihistamines. Low dose prednisolone should be considered on an individualized basis. Further research is required in understanding urticarial pathogenesis in COVID-19. This will aid early diagnostic assessment in patients with high index of suspicion and subsequent management in the acute phase.
Early Warning Score
What items should be included in an early warning score for remote assessment of suspected COVID-19? qualitative and Delphi study Greenhalgh T, Thompson P, Weiringa S, et al BMJ Open 2020;10:e042626. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042626
Gastroenterology
S2794 A Rare and Unusual Gastrointestinal Manifestation of COVID-19 Rehman, Mahin DO1; Gondal, Amlish MD2; Yousef, Mohammad MD3; Khan, Salman MD3; Suwal, Kriti MD3; Rehman, Najeeb MD, MHA3; Molina, Jaime MD3; Georgetson, Michael J. MD, FACG3 The American Journal of Gastroenterology: October 2020 - Volume 115 - Issue - p S1461
S1476 COVID-19-Associated Atypical Acute Pancreatitis!! Merza, Nooraldin MD1; Yousuf, Hina MD1; Mansi, Tarek MD1; Naguib, Tarek MD1 The American Journal of Gastroenterology: October 2020 - Volume 115 - Issue - p S750
General
Containing COVID: the establishment and management of a COVID-19 ward in an adult psychiatric hospital. Knowles M. BJPsych Open 2020;6(6):e140. We describe the achievements, lessons learned and outcomes of the process of repurposing a mental health triage ward into a COVID-19 isolation facility, including the impact on staff. Flexibility, rapid problem-solving and close teamwork were essential. Some of the changes made will be sustained on the ward in our primary role as a triage ward. Although the challenges faced were difficult, the legacy they have left is that of a range of improvements in patient care and the working environment.
Provision of holistic care after severe COVID-19 pneumonia: anticipating clinical need and managing resources Rebecca F D'Cruz, Felicity Perrin, Surinder S Birring, Amit S Patel, Irem Patel, Caroline J Jolley, and others The Lancet Respiratory Medicine: November 13, 2020
Clinical Profile of First 1000 COVID-19 Cases Admitted at Tertiary Care Hospitals and the Correlates of their Mortality: An Indian Experience Budhiraja, S., Soni, A., Jha, V., Indrayan, A., Dewan, A., Singh, O., Singh, Y., Chugh, I., Arora, V., Pandey, R., Ansari, A., Jha, S. MedRxiv 18th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation vs Placebo on Hospital Length of Stay in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Murai, I. H., Fernandes, A. L., Sales, L. P., Pinto, A. J., Goessler, K. F., Duran, C. S. C., Silva, C. B. R., Franco, A. S., Macedo, M. B., Dalmolin, H. H. H., Baggio, J., Balbi, G. G. M., Reis, B. Z., Antonangelo, L., Caparbo, V. F., Gualano, B., Pereira, R. M. R. MedRxiv 17th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
What is the relationship between validated frailty scores and mortality for adults with COVID-19 in acute hospital care? A systematic review. Cosco, T. D., Best, J., Bryden, D., Davis, D., Wagner, K. R., Arkil, S., Conroy, S. MedRxiv 16th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Risk of Pneumococcal Coinfection with SARS-CoV-2: prospective national cohort study, England Zahin Amin-Chowdhury, MSc Clinical Infectious Diseases, ciaa1728, 16 November 2020
Haematology
Outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 3377 patients. Vijenthira A. Blood 2020;:doi: 10.1182/blood.2020008824. Adult patients with hematologic malignancy and COVID-19, especially hospitalized patients, have a high risk of dying. Patients >60 years have significantly higher mortality, and pediatric patients appear to be relatively spared. Recent cancer treatment does not appear to significantly increase the risk of death.
Healthcare Staff
Risk of Severe COVID-19 Among Workers and Their Household Members Thomas M. Selden, PhD; Terceira A. Berdahl, PhD JAMA Internal Medicine 9th November
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in healthcare workers and other staff at North Bristol NHS Trust: a sociodemographic analysis Jones, C. R., Hamilton, F. W., Thompson, A., Morris, T. T., Moran, E. MedRxiv 16th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Secondary attack rate and family clustering of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children of healthcare workers with confirmed COVID-19 Shamez N Ladhani, Clinical Infectious Diseases, ciaa1737, Published:17 November 2020
Infection Control
Brief Report: The Virucidal Efficacy of Oral Rinse Components Against SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Evelina Statkute, Anzelika Rubina, Valerie B O’Donnell, David W. Thomas, View ORCID ProfileRichard J. Stanton bioRxiv 13th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [what does this mean?].
Long Covid
‘Long-COVID’: a cross-sectional study of persisting symptoms, biomarker and imaging abnormalities following hospitalisation for COVID-19 Swapna Mandal1 Thorax 10th November
Developing services for long Covid: lessons from a study of wounded healers Ladds, E., Rushforth, A., Wieringsa, S., Taylor, S., Rayner, C., Husain, L., Greenhalgh, T. MedRxiv 16th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Mental Health
Personality Disorders in Time of Pandemic. Preti E. Current Psychiatry Reports 2020;22(12):80. We report evidence on the negative psychological effects of pandemics in people with personality disorders (PDs) and on the role of personality pathology in compliance with mitigation-related behaviors. Evidence on compliance with mitigation measures is mixed, with lower compliance in cluster B patients and higher in cluster C ones. We suggest that PD patients might be particularly affected by pandemics. Furthermore, they might react differently, according to their main diagnosis.
Adaptation or Revolution: Telemental Health and Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing During COVID-19. Schroeder RA. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2020;:1078390320970638. The COVID-19 crisis is having far-reaching implications for mental health treatment and in particular for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) in practice settings. Technology has rapidly transformed traditional practice due to the COVID-19 crisis and there is strong evidence that it is well accepted by patients and providers. It is incumbent on PMHNPs to embrace telemental health (TMH) and become educated on best practices and TMH services. Contact your hospital library for a copy of this article
Psychosocial and Behavioral Impact of COVID-19 in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Online Parent Survey. Colizzi M. Brain Sciences 2020;10(6):341. Parents and guardians of ASD individuals filled out an online survey. The COVID-19 emergency resulted in a challenging period for 93.9% of families, increased difficulties in managing daily activities, especially free time (78.1%) and structured activities (75.7%), and, respectively, 35.5% and 41.5% of children presenting with more intense and more frequent behavior problems. The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly resulted in increased difficulties among ASD individuals.
Real-time suicide mortality data from police reports in Queensland, Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time-series analysis Stuart Leske, Kairi Kõlves, David Crompton, Ella Arensman, Diego de Leo The Lancet Psychiatry: November 16, 2020
Nephrology
Risk factors and prognosis for COVID-19-induced acute kidney injury: a meta- analysis. Lin L. BMJ Open 2020;10(11):e042573. AKI was a common and serious complication of COVID-19. Older age and having severe COVID-19 were independent risk factors for AKI. The risk of in-hospital death was significantly increased in patients with COVID-19 complicated by AKI.
Obstetrics & Gyneacology
Saving babies' lives in a pandemic. Eldridge H. British Journal of Midwifery 2020;28(11):752–753. The Mums And Midwives Awareness Academy is empowering parents to overcome their fear of attending their maternity unit. With various different restrictions in place throughout the country, which are changing on a weekly basis, confusion as to what is and what is not safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on expectant parents nationwide. Parents are more reluctant than ever to visit their midwife, GP centre or hospital to be assessed in fear of contracting coronavirus .
COVID-19: women with diabetes and hypertension during pregnancy. Hu J. British Journal of Midwifery 2020;28(11):800–801. Midwives should be prepared to create individualised care plans, share data and liase with other departments, to improve maternal and fetal outcomes for pregnant women with these conditions. COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic and poses a significant challenge to the care of pregnant women, especially pregnancies complicated by diabetes and hypertension. These pregnancies are associated with increased adverse pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child and require further care.
Dysregulated immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women Sherer, M. L., Lei, J., Creisher, P., Jang, M., Reddy, R., Voegtline, K., Olson, S., Littlefield, K., Park, H.-S., Ursin, R. L., Ganesan, A., Boyer, T., Brown, D. M., Walch, S., Antar, A. A. R., Manabe, Y. C., Jones-Beatty, K., Golden, W. C., Satin, A. J., Sheffield, J. S., Pekosz, A., Klein, S., Burd, I. MedRxiv 16th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
PPE
Integrated 3D printing solution to mitigate shortages of airway consumables and personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic Fillat-Gomà F. BMC Health Services Research 2020;20(1):1035. To cope with shortages of equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, we established a nonprofit end-to-end system to identify, validate, regulate, manufacture, and distribute 3D- printed medical equipment. Here we describe the local and global impact of this system.
Home-made masks with filtration efficiency for nano-aerosols for community mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic. Li I. Public Health 2020;188:42-50. The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic that emerged in December 2019 has rapidly evolved in recent months to become a worldwide and ongoing pandemic. Shortage of medical masks remains an unresolved problem. This study aims to investigate the filtration efficiency (FE) of home-made masks that could be used as alternatives for community mitigation of COVID-19.
Testing
A stoic and altruistic orientation towards their work: a qualitative study of healthcare professionals' experiences of awaiting a COVID-19 test result. Missel M. BMC Health Services Research 2020;20(1):1031. The participating healthcare professionals had a strong professional identity. However, a discrepancy between an altruistic role as a healthcare professional and the expectations that come from the community was illuminated. A mental health coronavirus hotline for healthcare professionals is suggested.
Considerations in Pooled Testing for SARS-CoV-2 of Employees Schulte, Paul A.; Weissman, David; Luckhaupt, Sara E.; De Perio, Marie A.; Beezhold, Don; Piacentino, John D.; Radonovich, Lewis; Hearl, Frank J.; Howard, John Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: October 12, 2020 - Volume Publish Ahead of Print - Issue –
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Test Results Among Patients Who Recovered From COVID-19 With Prior Negative Results Flora Marzia Liotti, PhD; Giulia Menchinelli, PhD; Simona Marchetti, BSc; et al JAMA Internal Medicine 12th November
Accuracy of UK Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC) “AbC-19 Rapid Test” for detection of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in key workers: test accuracy study Wylie, D BMJ 2020; 371 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4262 (Published 11 November 2020)
Preliminary report from the Joint PHE Porton Down & University of Oxford SARS-CoV- 2 test development and validation cell: Rapid evaluation of Lateral Flow Viral Antigen detection devices (LFDs) for mass community testing: University of Oxford, 11th November
Comparison of seven commercial SARS-CoV-2 rapid Point-of-Care Antigen tests Corman, V. M., Haage, V. C., Bleicker, T., Schmidt, M. L., Muehlemann, B., Zuchowski, M., Lei, W. K. J., Tscheak, P., Moencke-Buchner, E., Mueller, M. A., Krumbholz, A., Drexler, J. F., Drosten, C. MedRxiv 13th November This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Thrombosis
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Thromboembolism among Patients With Coronavirus Disease-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Kefale B. Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis 2020;26:1076029620967083 . The pooled prevalence of thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients was 33%. The prevalence of thrombotic events is variable on the basis of study design and study centers. Several risk factors such as elevated D-dimer, hospitalized in the intensive care unit and being under mechanical ventilation, were the most frequently reported risk factors identified. Therefore, healthcare professionals should consider these risk factors to optimally manage thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients.
Transmission
Long-distance airborne dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 wards Karolina Nissen, et al Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 19589 (2020)
Treatment
Safety and efficacy of inhaled nebulised interferon beta-1a (SNG001) for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial Phillip D Monk•Richard J Marsden•Victoria J Tear•Jody Brookes•Toby N Batten•Marcin Mankowski•Felicity J Gabbay•Donna E Davies•Stephen T Holgate•Ling-Pei Ho•Tristan Clark•Ratko Djukanovic•Tom M A Wilkinson on behalf of the Inhaled Interferon Beta COVID- 19 Study Group Lancet Respiratory Medicine Published: November 12, 2020
Fluvoxamine vs Placebo and Clinical Deterioration in Outpatients With Symptomatic COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial Eric J. Lenze, MD; Caline Mattar, MD; Charles F. Zorumski, MD; et al JAMA 12th November
Effect of Hydroxychloroquine on Clinical Status at 14 Days in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial Wesley H. Self, MD, MPH; Matthew W. Semler, MD; Lindsay M. Leither, DO; et al JAMA 9th November
Vaccines
Measuring the Impact of Exposure to COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation on Vaccine Intent in the UK and US. medRxiv; 2020. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.22.20217513v1 [[This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.] The results of nationally representative surveys suggest exposure to online sources of recent misinformation relating to Covid-19 and vaccines led to an absolute fall of 6.4% (3.8-9.0%) in those who would otherwise ‘definitely’ vaccinate in the UK (54.0% prior to exposure).]
Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in healthy adults aged 18–59 years: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial Yanjun Zhang, Gang Zeng, Hongxing Pan, Changgui Li, Yaling Hu, Kai Chu, and others The Lancet Infectious Diseases: November 17, 2020
EvidenceAid (Systematic Reviews)
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic is leading to a rapidly expanding and evolving literature. This evidence collection contains plain-language summaries of high-quality research which are available in English, and translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese (simplified and traditional).
The collection includes summaries of systematic reviews that might be relevant to the direct impact of COVID-19 (including reviews of emerging research, as well as existing reviews of relevant interventions) on health and other outcomes, the impact of the COVID-19 response on other conditions, and issues to consider for the recovery period after COVID-19
Corticosteroids as a treatment for COVID-19 (multiple reviews) Added November 12, 2020
Social distancing methods to prevent transmission of COVID-19 (multiple reviews) Added November 18, 2020
Interventions commonly available during pandemics for heavy menstrual bleeding Added November 13, 2020
Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine are probably ineffective for COVID-19 (search up to 17 July 2020) Added November 13, 2020
School closures to prevent transmission of COVID-19 (multiple reviews) Added November 18, 2020
Learning from others
Academy of Fab stuff: https://fabnhsstuff.net/campaigns/cv-19
For a comprehensive and searchable database of Covid-19 research papers see LitCovid from Pubmed.
If you require an evidence search on a particular aspect of Covid-19 or with regards to a particular patient group please get in touch:
Colchester Hospital Library [email protected] Tel: 01206 742146
Ipswich Hospital Library [email protected] Tel: 01473 702544
Published: 19th November 2020