Supporting COVID-19 patients, their families and friends

An international group of experts has written an editorial, published recently in the European Respiratory Journal, offering guidance to respiratory healthcare professionals for managing the supportive care needs of those affected by COVID-19. The editorial includes useful factsheets, developed by the authors in collaboration with the European Lung Foundation (ELF), which explain to patients, their families and friends, what will happen once a person goes into hospital, how their symptoms will be managed and what will happen if they are put on a ventilator. Access the ERJ article and download the ELF factsheets.

Webinar: Potential impact of COVID-19 on asthma patients

Join airways disease experts Professors Guy Brusselle and Antonio Spanevello for a live webinar focusing on the potential impact of COVID-19 on asthma patients. The webinar will take place from 18:00 to 19:00 (CEST) on 5 May 2020, to coincide with World Asthma Day. It is free to register and will include a 45-minute presentation with expert discussion, followed by a question and answer session centred on questions from the webinar viewers. Find out more and register here.

COVID-19 short video series

A new series of open access videos has been added to the ERS COVID-19 resource centre in which medical experts working on the front line share their personal and clinical experiences of COVID-19. Topics covered include the management of arterial hypertension in the era of COVID-19, indications for NIV use in COVID-infected patients, and the current status and future developments of therapeutic management for disease. Access the COVID-19 video series here.

Low-cost ventilator performs similarly to commercial device

A low-cost, easy-to-build noninvasive ventilator aimed at supporting the breathing of patients with respiratory failure performs similarly to conventional commercial devices, according to new research published in the European Respiratory Journal. The research paper provides an open-source description of how to build the ventilator, which researchers say could support treatment of COVID-19 and other severe respiratory diseases in low-income regions or where ventilator supplies are limited. Access the ERJ paper here.

COVID-19 and the ERS International Congress 2020

ERS President Thierry Troosters has provided an update on plans for the ERS International Congress 2020: "We believe that the ERS International Congress should still take place this year and that it would be more important than ever for us to connect the respiratory community. We will draw from our experiences of delivering successful virtual events and learning opportunities to create an innovative format for our Congress, using the latest technology to support this [...] we can confirm at this time that a large part of the Congress programme and the technical exhibition will be digital." Read the full message here or visit the official Congress website.

Pleural Disease: Q&A podcast

Following the popularity of the first ERS Monograph podcast, ERS has recorded a second podcast on pleural disease. The podcast takes the form of a question and answer session, with Editorial Board member Dr Sheila Ramjug putting your questions to Professor Najib Rahman about the management of pneumothorax and trapped lung, empyema and the RAPID Score, as well as AMPLE-2 in daily practice. List to the podcast here and visit books.erjournals.com to download the eBook (ERS members have free access).

European Immunization Week article collection

To mark European Immunization Week (20–26 April 2020), we have selected a range of articles on the theme of immunisation from European Respiratory Society publications. Click here to access the article collection.

Newborns infected with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms

Researches have identified a total of four cases of newborn babies with COVID-19 infection in China. In all cases, the babies experienced only mild symptoms with none requiring intensive care or mechanical ventilation, according to research published in the European Respiratory Journal. The reserachers say the rapid spread of the infection may mean there are other cases of newborns with COVID-19 that they were not able to track down. Access the study in full here.

Severe COVID-19 risk increased in smokers and people with COPD

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people who currently smoke may have higher levels of a molecule called angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE-2) in their lungs, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal. Previous research shows that ACE-2, which sits on the surface of lung cells, is the "entry point" that allows coronavirus to get into the cells of the lungs and cause an infection. Access the study in full here.

Health professionals must be protected against COVID-19

ERS has signed a joint statement urging the European Union and national governments to prioritise health and safety on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

Guidelines and recommendations directory

ERS has launched an international directory of COVID-19 guidelines and best practice recommendations documents, including publications prepared by ERS' partner societies around the world focused on the management and care of COVID-19. National and professional respiratory societies are encouraged to submit high-quality documents for inclusion in the directory using this form. Access the COVID-19 guidelines directory here.

COVID-19 Daily round-up

ERS's COVID-19 Daily round-up is the newest addition to the ERS COVID-19 resource centre. The daily round-up will feature the latest news, research and clinical trials relating to COVID-19 as selected by a reviewer, with the aim of supporting health workers and leaders, researchers and scientists, and patients and the public to access up-to-date information on COVID-19. Visit the Daily round-up webpage here.

Watch the latest ERS COVID-19 webinars

The latest webinars in the ERS' COVID-19 series are now available to watch online for free. The webinars cover diagnosis, treatment and health policy in China based on the experiences of the special guest presenters Professor Chen Wang (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union College, Beijing, China) and Professor Bin Cao (Chinese Thoracic Society President-Elect, Beijing, China). A follow-up webinar including a question and answer session is also available, led by Professor Tobias Welte (ERS Past President and Head of the Dept of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease at Hannover University, Germany) and Professor Eva Polverino (ERS Respiratory Infections Assembly Secretary and pulmonologist at the Clinical and Provincial Hospital of Barcelona, Spain). Watch the latest COVID-19 webinars here.

World Sarcoidosis Day custom collection

To mark World Sarcoidosis Day (13 April 2020), we have selected a range of articles on the theme of sarcoidosis from European Respiratory Society publications. Click here to access the article collection.

ATS/ERS webinar: Global perspectives on COVID-19

On 13 April 2020 (at 18:00–19:00 CEST) the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and American Thoracic Society (ATS) will host a webinar featuring healthcare leaders from across Europe and America. The webinar will focus on the experiences of healthcare professionals from different regions of the world, with panellists sharing their knowledge of COVID-19 and offering their expertise to answer questions submitted by colleagues. The webinar will provide the healthcare community with international perspectives on the outbreak. Register for the webinar here and submit your COVID-19 questions by 13 April 2020.

COVID-19 community forum

To support health workers around the world to connect, discuss and share experiences of COVID-19 during these unprecedented times, ERS is pleased to announce the launch of the COVID-19 community forum. Initial topics of discussion include triage and diagnosis, acute care, chronic care and discharge issues, treating children with COVID, logistic aspects and mental health. Just sign in with your myERS details to join a discussion or suggest a new topic. You do not need to be an ERS member to create a myERS account. Access the community forum here.

EMA calls for large-scale RCTs for COVID-19

The European Medicine Agency's (EMA) Human Medicines Committee is urging the European Union (EU) research community to prioritise randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and to use a harmonised approach for data collection, in order to enable the rapid development of potential treatments for COVID-19. In a recent statement, the EMA emphasised the need to include all EU countries in these trials, and highlighted the importance of robust methodologies for COVID-19 clinical trials that make the best use of available investigational agents. Read the full news article here.