Category: COVID-19

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Accident Prevention Community Safety COVID-19 Healthy Settings Mortality

Risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: a prospective cohort study

The Lancet Public Health Volume 5, ISSUE 9, e475-e483, September 01, 2020

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Background
Data for front-line health-care workers and risk of COVID-19 are limited. We sought to assess risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers compared with the general community and the effect of personal protective equipment (PPE) on risk.
Methods
We did a prospective, observational cohort study in the UK and the USA of the general community, including front-line health-care workers, using self-reported data from the COVID Symptom Study smartphone application (app) from March 24 (UK) and March 29 (USA) to April 23, 2020. Participants were voluntary users of the app and at first use provided information on demographic factors (including age, sex, race or ethnic background, height and weight, and occupation) and medical history, and subsequently reported any COVID-19 symptoms. We used Cox proportional hazards modelling to estimate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of our primary outcome, which was a positive COVID-19 test. The COVID Symptom Study app is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04331509.
Findings
Among 2 035 395 community individuals and 99 795 front-line health-care workers, we recorded 5545 incident reports of a positive COVID-19 test over 34 435 272 person-days. Compared with the general community, front-line health-care workers were at increased risk for reporting a positive COVID-19 test (adjusted HR 11·61, 95% CI 10·93–12·33). To account for differences in testing frequency between front-line health-care workers and the general community and possible selection bias, an inverse probability-weighted model was used to adjust for the likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 test (adjusted HR 3·40, 95% CI 3·37–3·43). Secondary and post-hoc analyses suggested adequacy of PPE, clinical setting, and ethnic background were also important factors.
Interpretation
In the UK and the USA, risk of reporting a positive test for COVID-19 was increased among front-line health-care workers. Health-care systems should ensure adequate availability of PPE and develop additional strategies to protect health-care workers from COVID-19, particularly those from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds. Additional follow-up of these observational findings is needed

Categories
COVID-19 CVD Health Protection (Emergency planning Healthy Settings Liver Disease including NHS Health Checks Long-Term Conditions Mortality Respiratory Disease seasonal mortality)

Wider impacts of COVID-19 on health monitoring tool

by Public Health England (2020)

National monitoring tool that brings together metrics to assess the wider impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) on health.

Click here to access the tool

Categories
Accident Prevention Community Safety COVID-19 Health Protection (Emergency planning Healthy Settings seasonal mortality) Sexual Health

Adapting sexual and reproductive health services in response to COVID-19: examples of practice

by Public Health England (2020)

During the COVID-19 response sexual and reproductive health services have adapted swiftly to ensure continued provision of essential services. This has included, for example, the scale up of online triaging and delivery, and prioritising face-to-face consultations for less well served groups, clinically complex cases and to address safeguarding concerns.
Public Health England is collating practice examples to capture how sexual and reproductive health services have adapted during the COVID-19 response with a particular focus on changes put in place to meet the needs of less well served populations. The practice examples below have been collected and published with no assumption or evidence of effectiveness at this stage. They are intended to briefly capture what has been done locally for the purpose of rapid knowledge translation. The practice examples were collected by PHE from local sexual and reproductive health providers and commissioners. PHE is collecting examples on an ongoing basis.

Click here to view the examples

 

Categories
COVID-19 CVD Health Protection (Emergency planning Healthy Settings Infection Control Liver Disease including NHS Health Checks Respiratory Disease seasonal mortality)

Impact of delays on effectiveness of contact tracing strategies for COVID-19: a modelling study

The Lancet Public Health Volume 5, ISSUE 8, e452-e459, August 01, 2020

In countries with declining numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19, lockdown measures are gradually being lifted. However, even if most physical distancing measures are continued, other public health measures will be needed to control the epidemic. Contact tracing via conventional methods or mobile app technology is central to control strategies during de-escalation of physical distancing. We aimed to identify key factors for a contact tracing strategy to be successful.

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Accident Prevention Community Safety COVID-19 Well-Being

Rapid review of COVID-19 impacts

By North West Health  & Population Network (June 2020)

The impacts of COVID-19 have not been felt equally. The pandemic has both exposed and exacerbated longstanding inequalities in society. As we move from the response phase into recovery, the direct and wider impacts of the pandemic on individuals, households and communities will influence their capacity to recover. By providing a summary of the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on health and wellbeing, this review aims to assist with the development of priorities and mitigating actions to support recovery” ( Dr Andrew Turner, Health Policy Lead & Public Health Specialty Registrar Liverpool City Region Combined Authority)

Click here to review this review

 

Categories
Accident Prevention Community Safety COVID-19 CVD Guidance Healthy Settings Infection Control Liver Disease including NHS Health Checks Mortality Respiratory Disease

Database of public health guidance on COVID-19

By Health Information and Quality Authority (2020)

To inform the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically, to inform the development of public health guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have created a database of COVID-19 public health guidance produced by international organisations.

This database is updated daily, and is primarily for the use of relevant stakeholders in the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, the National Public Health Emergency Team, the Department of Health, and Health Service Executive.

Click here to view this website

Categories
COVID-19 CVD Health Protection (Emergency planning Infection Control Liver Disease including NHS Health Checks Mortality Public Health Advice to NHS Commissioners Respiratory Disease seasonal mortality)

Finding the evidence: Coronavirus

By Public Health England (2020)

We are delighted to announce the launch of the COVID-19 Register of PHE led studies. It includes Public Health England led studies relating to COVID-19, that have taken place since February 2020. The register will be updated every two months, and can be accessed via our re-vamped Finding the evidence: Coronavirus page – 4th heading down

Click here to access this website

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COVID-19 Healthy Settings Public Mental Health

Covid-19 and the nation’s mental health Forecasting needs and risks in the UK: May 2020

By The Centre for Mental Health (2020)

This briefing seeks to use evidence from existing research about the likely impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of the UK population. It draws on published evidence to make projections about the potential impacts and which groups within the population face the highest risks to their mental health as a result of the crisis.

Click here to view this briefing

Categories
COVID-19 Healthy Settings

COVID-19 & Mindfulness: Resources for health and care staff

By The Mindfulness Initiative (2020)

A curated list of free mindfulness resources for health and care workers to support them through a time of crisis.

Click here to view these resources

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COVID-19 Library

Global research on coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

By WHO

WHO is gathering the latest international multilingual scientific findings and knowledge on COVID-19. The global literature cited in the WHO COVID-19 database is updated daily (Monday through Friday) from searches of bibliographic databases, hand searching, and the addition of other expert-referred scientific articles. This database represents a comprehensive multilingual source of current literature on the topic. While it may not be exhaustive, new research is added regularly.

Click here to visit this website