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Coronavirus – Public health emergency

Last updated : 01/10/2024 - 13 views

COVID-19

A coronavirus is one of many viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that are typically mild, such as the common cold, though rarer forms such as SARS, MERS and COVID-19 can be lethal. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. At the end of 2019, a novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was found to be responsible for a cluster of atypical cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has spread both inside and outside China, and the WHO has declared this a public health emergency.

With the outbreak now present in Europe, and likely to affect many more areas over the coming months, we at ESICM have decided to help ICU professionals around the world by providing information that may make a vital contribution in the battle to contain the infection, treat the patients and to protect the frontline workers. Learning from experience can save lives and, for this purpose, we are using this webpage to share key online resources, including manuscripts and summaries of papers published in the ICM journal and other important medical journals, podcast interviews with experts and colleagues who will discuss management strategies in place for preparedness and their own experiences on the ground. ESICM will continue to provide the most up to date and crucial information in order to play its part and to face this global challenge.

Appic
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The first professional intensive care app designed for nurses, by nurses!

Guidelines

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ESICM academy
External resources
Access the resources

COVID-19 Critical Care: Understanding and Application – Free Online Resources Learn the principles and practice of critical care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic whilst protecting yourself and your peers. The University of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh are offering this free education resource to frontline clinical staff which teaches daily practice for critical care patients with or without COVID-19, and how to apply ventilation and organ support principles to a critically ill COVID-19 patient. Discover how to facilitate your own emotional and physical wellbeing in this high-stress, high-risk environment. You will be able to select the materials that are most relevant to your work. The information in this resource will support those refreshing critical care knowledge and skills, newly qualified doctors, those who are upskilling, and those returning to acute clinical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ARTICLES

Research

PPE SAFE
Learn more

Personal Protective Equipment and healthcare worker Safety in the COVID-19 Era (The PPE-SAFE survey). The survey is designed to understand your current situation. The survey is anonymous, it takes less than 10 minutes and can be completed from a cell phone or computer. This survey is endorsed by ESICM – the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine and ESCMID ESGCIP and the Società Italiana di Anestesia Analgesia Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva (SIAARTI). This survey is aimed at ICU Health Care Workers directly involved in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients.

SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Survey
Participate

ESICM has endorsed an important survey, which aims to compile data about the management of COVID-19 patients and resources during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This survey was circulated by the Society to its international intensive care community of physicians, nurses and other allied health professionals for completion. Please assist this essential research by providing your input. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

UNITE – COVID-19 Study
Participate

COVID-19 is expected to be a challenge in ICUs globally until a safe and effective vaccine is found. Efforts to study the disease are paramount in order to advance our understanding of the disease, as well as improve treatment options. Although many registries are currently including patients, few of them focus on ICU patients, their specific treatments and newly-observed complications and challenges. This one-day multi-centre, international anonymised point prevalence study is designed to discover more about the burden of COVID-19 in ICUs around the world, including regional differences, the current management of critically ill patients with COVID-19, variability in treatment and clinical characteristics and outcomes. This study is endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

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Coronavirus - Public health emergency