As of this morning – Friday May 1 – the current recorded case count for COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the UK has hit 171,253 with 26,771 deaths.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says it is supporting a growing number of international collaborations striving to share knowledge and identify new treatments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initiatives such as the Evidence Collaborative for COVID-19 established by the World Health Organisation, the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment, and the European Network for Health Technology Assessment are working to identify evidence on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
NICE is sharing its work on COVID-19 with these partners, and is also helping select priority areas for research through the Cochrane collaboration’s rapid reviews on COVID-19.
The collaborations will also help NICE ensure that its rapid guidelines – which are being made available for access without the normal licencing fee – are developed and updated to internationally recognised standards of best practice.
“Having our guidelines all in one place, in an easily accessible format, means we are able to share our knowledge and recommendations with health care professionals around the world, and learn from each other’s findings,” said Paul Chrisp, director for the Centre for Guideline.
“NICE will continue to support, contribute to and learn from international efforts to coordinate the development and maintenance of high-quality evidence-based guidelines on COVID-19.”
NICE Scientific Advice is also providing free fast-track advice for researchers who are developing novel diagnostics or therapeutics for COVID-19, while NICE International is also continuing to provide an advisory service to international organisations, ministries and government agencies to support the use of evidence-based decision making in health and social care systems.
WASH YOUR HANDS:
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Maintain at least two metres (six feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
STAY AT HOME:
Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home).
