COVID-19 resources

Useful links

• RACS guidelines for the management of surgical patients during the Covid19 pandemic (PDF 131.36KB) 
• RACS Guidelines for safe surgery: open versus laparoscopic (PDF 415.95KB)
• ASOHNS review of guidance for PPE for ENT surgeons during the (PDF 280.25KB)
  COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 280.25KB)
• GESA Guide for triage of endoscopic procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic
• NZOHNS guidelines addressing the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 83.06KB) 
• Guidelines for emergency Upper GI and Bariatric Surgery (PDF 179.32KB)
• General guidelines for OG cancer managment during the COVID outbreak (PDF 180.39KB)
• Intercollegiate General Surgery Guidance on COVID-19 
• Plans regarding trainee redeployment during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 179.69KB) (Academy Trainee Doctors’ Group) 
• American College of Surgeons COVID 19: Elective Case Triage Guidelines for Surgical Care – Vascular Surgery
• Australian New Zealand Sarcoma Association position statement on orthopaedic oncology surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic 
• Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Guidelines addressing the COVID 19 Pandemic
• Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand CSSANZ Recommendations During Covid-19 Pandemic
• Neurosurgical Society of Australasia National Elective Surgery Urgency Categorisation
• Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck - Western Australian ENT Recommendations for PPE for Aerosol Generating Procedures during COVID-19 Pandemic
• Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons recommendations regarding surgical response to COVID-19 crisis
• Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracis Surgeons Statement on Elective Surgery 
• ANZHPBA Guidelines for Management of HPB Surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Australian Orthopaedic Association information hub 
• Australian Orthopaedic Association and subspecialty COVID-19 advice pack (PDF 1.63MB) 
• COVID-19 and endoscopy procedures fact sheet (PDF 416.38KB) (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care)

Other links

• COVID-19 resource repository - collating COVID-19 research and guidelines
• Talking Covid webpages for health professionals
• Healthdirect Australia COVID-19 symptom checker 
• Optimal surgical approach during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF 198.29KB) - by David Cavallucci
• Keeping the Coronavirus from Infecting Health-Care Workers - by Atul Gawande, The New Yorker
• FACE COVID - How to respond effectively to the Corona crisis - by Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap 
• Finding Shelter in the Storm of COVID-19 (PDF 132.2KB) (online workshop)

A number of publishers have created sites with recent material on the outbreak. Some of the information is only available to RACS Fellows, Trainees and International Medical Graduates (IMGs).

• Taylor & Francis Coronavirus reading list
• New England Journal of Medicine Coronavirus (Covid-19) topic page 
• Read by QxMD app COVID–19 collection 
• Springer Nature

PanSurg

PanSurg was created in recognition of the unparalleled challenges currently facing healthcare systems around the world from the COVID-19 pandemic. PanSurg is a global hub for surgeons and related professionals to share experiences, policy, data and research for the delivery of safe, effective surgery during the pandemic.

LitCOVID/NIH/NLM

LitCovid is a curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus. It is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, providing a central access to 1087 (and growing) research articles in PubMed. The articles are updated daily and are further categorised by different research topics and geographic locations for improved access. 

New online information centre with the latest clinical and scientific information from Elsevier

For the benefit of healthcare professionals, medical researchers and the public, Elsevier has created a Novel Coronavirus Information Center with freely available information in English and Mandarin Chinese on the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, including new information about the recent outbreak in China.

The Information Center on Elsevier Connect, the company’s public news and information website, brings together all relevant content from Elsevier’s medical journals, textbooks, clinical experts and other clinical information and medical literature.

The website offers open access to clinical resources and tools, including:

• Clinical guidance regarding diagnosis and treatment
• A downloadable patient education handout
• Nursing care plans and skills
• Links to global public health authorities and national health ministries.

 
Journal articles and books

Brat G, Hersey S, Chhabra K, Gupta A, Scott J. Protecting Surgical Teams During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Narrative Review and Clinical Considerations (PDF 237.98KB). Annals of Surgery.

Dreher S. Past Pandemics By The Numbers and How Coronavirus Fits In. Newsweek 2020 Mar 27;174(8).

Glauser W. Proposed protocol to keep COVID-19 out of hospitals. Canadian Medical Association. Journal. 2020 Mar 9;192(10):E264-5.

He F, Deng Y, Li W. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19): What we know?. Journal of Medical Virology.

Kam KQ, Yung CF, Cui L, Lin Tzer Pin R, Mak TM, Maiwald M, Li J, Chong CY, Nadua K, Tan NW, Thoon KC. A well infant with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with high viral load. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020 Feb 28.

Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, Steinmann E. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and its inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2020 Feb 6.

Ong SW, Tan YK, Chia PY, Lee TH, Ng OT, Wong MS, Marimuthu K. Air, surface environmental, and personal protective equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from a symptomatic patient. JAMA. 2020 Mar 4.

Rubin EJ, Baden LR, Morrissey S. Audio Interview: What Clinicians Need to Know in Diagnosing and Treating Covid-19.

Sun P, Lu X, Xu C, Sun W, Pan B. Understanding of COVID‐19 based on current evidence. Journal of Medical Virology. 2020 Feb 25.

Ti LK, Ang LS, Foong TW, Ng BS. What we do when a COVID-19 patient needs an operation: operating room preparation and guidance. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie. 2020 Mar 6:1-3.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) – identifying the symptoms fact sheet
• Infection prevention and control during health care when novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected (World Health Organization)
• Rational use of personal protective equipment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (World Health Organization)
• Downloadable patient alert poster (RACGP)

RACS Surgeons Support Program

RACS recognises Trainees, Fellows and International Medical Graduates may face stressful situations on a daily basis. RACS has partnered with Converge International to provide confidential support to surgeons and their immediate family members. This can be for any personal or work related matter. Converge counsellors are experienced in working with individuals in the medical profession.

Access the program.

DRS4DRS

Any doctor who needs to access confidential and supportive health advice should visit DRS4DRS which will take you to the State/Territory Doctors Health Advisory. Each state has its own website, helpline and a range of other initiatives like training programs, clinics and referral systems.