Coronavirus COVID-19 Weekly Update 21st December 2020

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Weekly update published on MedShr: 21st December 2020
Last updated: 21st December 2020

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Coronavirus COVID-19 Weekly Update 21st December 2020

This update will be published weekly on Mondays and aims to provide clinicians and the public with an overview of the latest data, guidelines, key publications and policy around COVID-19, with links to essential resources and information.

If you are a healthcare professional, please join the discussion on these latest COVID-19 cases on MedShr:

Please post any anonymous educational COVID-19 cases, images or learning points from your clinical practice on MedShr - share key knowledge and experience with a global network of doctors to help improve patient care. Include #COVID19 in your case title.

Please email COVID@medshr.net if you have any data, publications or information you would like to share.


Global Impact of COVID-19 to Date

WHO official data, reported on 20th Dec 2020

Sources: World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

Data related to 'patients recovered' and 'countries affected' based on Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, other data obtained from WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard


COVID-19 Cumulative Global Cases

WHO official data, reported on 20th Dec 2020

Total UK COVID-19 Cases

As of 21st Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 20-12-20

UK total daily cases over past month

COVID-19 in the African Region

As of 21st Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 20-12-20

COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

As of 21st Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 20-12-20

Latest COVID-19 Publications and Guidelines:

A selection of recent publications and useful clinical guidance from scientific journals:


Editorials, Research Articles and Commentary:

BMJ: Comparative evaluation of clinical manifestations and risk of death in patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 and seasonal influenza: cohort study

Xie Y, Bowe B, Maddukuri G, Al-Aly Z. Comparative evaluation of clinical manifestations and risk of death in patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 and seasonal influenza: cohort study. BMJ. 2020 Dec 15;371:m4677. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4677. PMID: 33323357; PMCID: PMC7735416.

BMJ: Reserving coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines for global access: cross sectional analysis

So AD, Woo J. Reserving coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines for global access: cross sectional analysis. BMJ. 2020 Dec 15;371:m4750. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4750. PMID: 33323376; PMCID: PMC7735431.

NEJM: REGN-COV2, a Neutralizing Antibody Cocktail, in Outpatients with Covid-19

Weinreich DM, Sivapalasingam S, Norton T, et al. REGN-COV2, a Neutralizing Antibody Cocktail, in Outpatients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2020 Dec 17. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2035002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33332778.

Circulation: Association of Body Mass Index and Age With Morbidity and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Results From the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry

Hendren NS, de Lemos JA, Ayers C, et al. Association of Body Mass Index and Age With Morbidity and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Results From the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry. Circulation. 2020 Nov 17. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.051936. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33200947.

Psychol Med: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II

Freeman D, Loe BS, Chadwick A, et al. COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the UK: The Oxford Coronavirus Explanations, Attitudes, and Narratives Survey (OCEANS) II. Psychol Med. 2020 Dec 11:1-34. doi: 10.1017/S0033291720005188. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33305716.

The Lancet Digital Health: Renin–angiotensin system blockers and susceptibility to COVID-19: an international, open science, cohort analysis

Morales DR, Conover MM, You SC, et al. Renin–angiotensin system blockers and susceptibility to COVID-19: an international, open science, cohort analysis. The Lancet Digital Health. 2020 Dec 17. DOI: 10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30289-2


Latest Developments in the News:

WHO Weekly Situational Reports: Epidemiological and Operational


Africa

WHO: Stronger action needed as African countries see steady COVID-19 rise 

WHO: Responding to a yellow fever outbreak in Nigeria amidst a global pandemic

MSF: Nigeria: Extra-long malaria season in Borno claims lives

BBC: Coronavirus in Africa tracker

WHO in the African Region: COVID-19


Eastern Mediterranean

WHO: WHO encourages avoiding non-essential travel and large gatherings to prevent surges in COVID-19 post festivities this holiday season

WHO: Partner highlights: Syrian refugee carries on family soap-making legacy to combat COVID-19 spread in Lebanon

WHO: WHO hands over essential health commodities to the Ministry of Health to contain COVID-19 in Iraq

WHO: The Regional Health Alliance: A partnership towards achieving Health For All By All (WHO in Somalia)

WHO: Regional COVID-19 response: success stories

WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: COVID-19


United Kingdom

LSHTM: Expert comment - New variant of COVID-19

LSHTM: COVID-19 infection rates in schools mirror rates in the community

BBC: Long Covid: Hospital patients to get checks at six weeks

BBC: Covid: How to keep the virus at bay this Christmas

The Lancet Oncology: Cuts in cancer research funding due to COVID-19

BBC: Lockdown rules: What Covid tier is your area in and what are the restrictions?

UK Government Advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK


Global Health

BBC: New coronavirus variant: What do we know? 

WHO: Migrants and refugees say COVID-19 has dramatically worsened their lives

The Lancet Microbe: COVID-19 vaccines: the pandemic will not end overnight (Editorial)

NICE: NICE, RCGP and SIGN publish guideline on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19

The Lancet: Long COVID guidelines need to reflect lived experience (Comment)

BMJ: Equitable global access to coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines (Editorial)

BMJ: Covid-19 vaccines: delivering protective immunity (Editorial) 

European Society of Cardiology: Top ESC stories in the news in 2020

Cochrane Library: Special Collection - Coronavirus (COVID-19): remote care through telehealth

MSF: COVID-19: Governments must build consensus around waiver


Useful Sources for Latest Developments and News

WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (including links to regional offices)

WHO: COVID-19 vaccines

United Nations: COVID-19 Response

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine: Coronavirus Resource Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Médecins Sans Frontières: Response and News Articles

BBC: Covid-19 pandemic: Tracking the global coronavirus outbreak

Harvard Medical School: Coronavirus Resource Center

Our World in Data: Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) - Statistics and Research


Educational Resources:


WHO: COVID-19 Course Series

"Real-time training during global emergencies is critical for effective preparedness and response. The COVID-19 channel provides learning resources for health professionals, decision-makers and the public for the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)." (WHO 2020)

WHO: Vaccine Series

  1. How do vaccines work?

  2. How are vaccines developed?

  3. Manufacturing, safety and quality control of vaccines

  4. Tips for professional reporting on COVID-19 vaccines


MedShr Open: COVID-19 Weekly Article - Emerging Therapies for COVID-19: Drug Treatments

Last week's COVID-19 Open Article considers the current evidence, guidelines, and active research into drug treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infection.


Public Health Emergency COVID-19 Initiative - PubMed Central

An open collection of COVID-19 and coronavirus-related publications, and the available data supporting them, from over 50 publishers to support the ongoing public health emergency response efforts (PMC).

Other Useful Resources:

Intensive Care Society (UK) Covid-19 Resource Hub

The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust COVID-19 Bulletins - A weekly bulletin detailing the "latest guidelines, research and reports relating to COVID-19"

NHS England: Coronavirus guidance for clinicians and NHS managers

CDC: COVID-19 Science Updates



Weekly Update by Dr Ryan Broll, MedShr Open Editorial Team, Medical Education Fellow

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