Dear Colleague,

COVID-19 is impacting everyone’s life. We are deeply saddened by the loss of so many lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones during this pandemic. We also honor and extend our immense gratitude to healthcare personnel, emergency and essential workers worldwide who are on the frontlines providing care to the ill and ensuring that key services continue to function.

To assist you in our common goal to save lives during this global, public health crisis, CUGH is aggregating and sharing useful resources from around the word. We are also advocating for the implementation of policies needed by health systems to combat this pandemic. To access this information, click on the underlined texts below.

Please send to us any important public health guidelines/articles/advocacy efforts related to the pandemic to info@cugh.org . We will share some of this material via these weekly updates. Thank-you in advance for helping others to tackle the pandemic by  sharing this newsletter widely.

Best wishes,
Keith Martin MD
Executive Director
CUGH
Each volume of our COVID-19 newsletter contains new resources. Previous newsletters are archived here : https://www.cugh.org/announcements/covid-19-newsletter

This newsletter is divided into the following sections:
  • Advocacy efforts
  • Resources for educators
  • Resources for researchers
  • Resources for clinical work
  • Member requests
  • Other resources
ADVOCACY EFFORTS
In a letter from CUGH's leadership to US Congress, CUGH denounces President Trump's decision to halt funding to the World Health Organization. Cutting funding to the WHO will eviscerate its capacity to address the current pandemic and the many other public health challenges the world faces. We need to support the organization, not undermine it.

We are asking our US members to contact their local Congresspersons’ offices and ask them to use their powers to reinstate, and indeed increase, funding for the WHO to support their response to the pandemic. 

US elected officials’ contact information is below.

  • US Representatives' contact information is here.
  • US Senators' contact information is here.

If you contact your Congressperson please complete   this short post-engagement form .

Denouncing President Trump's most recent actions towards the World Health Organization, CUGH signed on to BMJ letter of support for WHO and its Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Hear CUGH’s webinar, "Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences from Asia." This webinar featured three, leading, global health experts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea who shared what worked in their efforts against the virus. They also described what we must do to strengthen our collective ability to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks.

See our YouTube channel to access all past recordings of webinars, including " COVID-19 Pandemic: A View from New York State ," as well as recordings from our past conferences.

CORE Group is convening members and partners to discuss their institutional positions vis a vis COVID-19 in an effort to coordinate and support the global pandemic response. Subscribe to CORE Group’s  One Health Interest Group   listserv to receive updates and coordination call announcements.

GHC has compiled a number of COVID-19 resources including lessons for the global health community on how the COVID-19 response can inform broader work in global health. GHC also released a statement regarding the dangers of WHO's funding freeze. Read it here .

See ASTMH’s statement regarding the Trump Administration's "reckless and counterproductive" announcement to halt funding for the WHO. 

People all over the world are standing in solidarity with each other to fight coronavirus, but the virus keeps moving fast. The pandemic will inevitably wreak its worst on the communities and countries that are least able to withstand the shock. Let’s stand with the most vulnerable whether they live across the street or across the ocean. We are one world and it’s time to fight for humanity against the virus. Sign ONE's petition telling governments that a global pandemic demands a global response.

With more than 2.5 million cases and over 173,300 deaths worldwide COVID- 19 has demonstrated that a disease threat anywhere is a disease threat everywhere. In today’s interconnected world, it only takes 36 hours for a pathogen to spread around the globe – a threat that is an even more real when 70% of the world remains underprepared to prevent, detect, and respond to a public health emergency.

In this series of issue briefs, the USGLC takes an in-depth look at the global pandemic response and COVID-19’s impacts on vulnerable populations, global development and diplomacy, and the future of U.S. global leadership.

The four global palliative care organizations [the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC), the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN), Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies (PALCHASE), and the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA)] joined forces to develop a project on Palliative Care and COVID-19. 

The four organizations invited experts from around the world to produce a series of Briefing Notes followed by weekly webinars. It is their hope that the Briefing Notes and webinars will serve to strengthen health systems and further integrate palliative care in policies and national health strategies. 
The Briefing Notes and links to the Webinars will be posted on the  Global Palliative Care COVID-19 website as resources free of charge to users.
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS

Friday, May 1, 2020, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

As higher education has moved online in response to COVID-19, how have faculty redesigned and delivered courses that emphasize field-based and experiential learning? This webinar will explore emerging models from the field of global health, where students are expected to address public health challenges through community-based learning experiences—even during a global health pandemic. Join the conversation to share practical advice and effective strategies for adapting teaching and learning practices, integrating the crisis into current courses, sustaining community engagement, and anticipating student vulnerabilities.

With so many faculty displaced and racing to get online in the wake of COVID-19, there has been very little time for the technological and pedagogical training needed to effectively prepare for virtual instruction. Yet, professors are still told to do their job and to do it online. With a lack of resources to become proficient in teaching with technology fast, faculty are looking for digital tools and insights from those experienced in online instruction to help them fulfill their role as an educator and ensure students have access to the learning they need to finish the term successfully. Here are 12 tips for online teaching by Corinne Hyde , an associate professor of clinical education for the USC Rossier School of Education Master of Arts in Teaching online degree program .

Mays Imad offers 10 teaching strategies to support students and help them continue to learn during this time of uncertainty.

Here are five low-tech, time-saving asynchronous techniques that will make your remote pedagogy easier and more interesting for you and will help your  coronavirus-stressed students   successfully complete this semester. All five can be used via your institution’s learning-management system and don’t require you to figure out any new tech tools. It’s not too late to adopt any of them!
RESOURCES FOR RESEARCHERS

Wednesday, April 22, 2020 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET

This one-hour webinar, hosted by Research!America, will provide a high-level overview of the most promising scientific approaches underway to create vaccines, treat COVID-19 symptoms, cure serious cases, and prevent infection. Speakers will discuss how the existing R&D pipeline is being leveraged to address COVID-19 and provide examples of public-private partnerships.

The Calgary Critical Care Research Network investigators are leading several COVID-19 studies. These studies are led by Drs. Parsons Leigh, Fiest, Stelfox and Niven.

The research program includes two phases of work: 
1) Knowledge Synthesis: Investigators are currently conducting several rapid reviews around pressing and timely COVID-19 issues. The knowledge synthesis phase informs the knowledge translation phase of work. 
2) Knowledge Translation: Investigators are conducting qualitative research to understand the socio-cultural factors contributing to the public's and healthcare providers knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19. They are also studying how the health system is impacted by COVID-19. 

They are currently recruiting for knowledge translation studies. If you are interested in participating in a study, please contact them at: C3ResNetwork@ucalgary.ca . 
RESOURCES FOR CLINICAL WORK

An international community of clinicians recently published  guidelines in  Annals of Surgery  on preparing the surgical ecosystem for COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa. The key authors participated in a virtual grand rounds to discuss the role and management of surgical systems in the context of COVID-19.

In a campaign to ensure that disaster teams and acute hospital systems around the world begin medical rehabilitation from the day of admission, the International Rehabilitation Forum has released free tools for administrators, nurses, and patients/families at administrators, nurses, and patients/families . Experience in many natural disasters has shown that rehabilitation planning by the hospital and patient from day of admission results in faster discharge, less resource utilization, and improved patient outcomes in terms of mortality, morbidity, and function. COVID-19 will strain resources and predictably will cause disability from lung function, neurological and vascular complications as well as deconditioning, contractures, and mental health impairments. The tools include simple hospital protocols, patient intake forms that help plan for discharge, and pamphlets and posters that encourage patients and families to plan their own rehabilitation. These tools were designed by a team of African and American Rehabilitation Medicine doctors and vetted through a group of international experts.

Understand the key role diagnostics play in outbreak control
As the world struggles to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare infrastructure and testing capacity have emerged as major issues. Different countries have implemented different testing strategies, and from the range of diagnostic tests available, some have received authorization for use by national regulatory agencies. There’s a need for independent evaluation of these tests and guidance on implementing safe and reliable testing.On this (free) course, you’ll discover the latest recommendations on COVID-19 testing and get up-to-date information on the performance of tests and how best to deploy them.

The United States and countries around the world face a major public health concern with the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In an effort to serve its members, the American Society of Hematology is maintaining this webpage as a medium to exchange information to assist hematologists in navigating the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Medicines for Humanity (MFH) has expanded its COVID-19 Self-Learning Training Curriculum with updated information, new resources and modules. In addition to an overview of COVID-19 prevention, treatment, community engagement and technical guidance for Community Health Workers and Providers, this revised curriculum now incorporates:
 
  • A facilitator guide
  • Tips on how to conduct virtual learning
  • Linkages to WHO Health Alert on WhatsApp
  • New modules on:
  • Nutrition
  • Pregnant/Lactating Women and Children
  • Mental Well-being
  • Stigma
  • Monitoring and Evaluation. 
 
In addition, MFH has produced a short animated video - What Should You Know About COVID-19. This simple video is a health education tool for CHWs and can be shared with the public, including children. It contains simple, visual messages about how to protect yourself from the disease.
 
The curriculum and the video will be available in English, Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, and Arabic and can be found on the Medicines for Humanity  COVID-19 landing page .

Children's National Hospital has created a one-page handout to give to children before their telehealth appointment so they can better know what to expect.
MEMBER REQUESTS

This website from Johns Hopkins University is an outstanding resource to help advance the understanding of the virus, inform the public, and brief policymakers in order to guide a response, improve care, and save lives. It includes access to an interactive COVID-19 map.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Center provides tailored guidance to keep people safe. The site also contains a number of resources on the virus, including cases, data, and surveillance.

The  Emory Global Health Institute   (EGHI) is responding to the global pandemic in numerous ways, one of which is by sponsoring a competition for writers and illustrators to create a children’s ebook focused on explaining COVID-19 and its ramifications on daily life to children ages 6 – 9 years.
 
The winner of the eBook competition will receive a $10,000 cash prize. EGHI will post the winning ebook on their website and market it on their social media platforms and in other promotional materials to provide COVID-19 resources to parents who are seeking ways to explain and educate their children on all aspects of the crisis. EGHI will also share it with relevant national, state, and local organizations to make available to children and parent s. Submissions are due by April 29th, 2020.

A new smartphone app is helping track the onset and progression of COVID-19 symptoms of millions across the U.S., with the goal of shedding light on the nature of the disease, identifying those at risk sooner, pinpointing virus hot spots, and helping slow the spread of disease.

The  COVID Symptom Tracker   was developed by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, King’s College London, and Stanford University School of Medicine, in collaboration with a health science company called ZOE.

The app asks contributors to answer a few simple questions about themselves and their current health, then to check in every day to report how they’re feeling and to list any symptoms they may be having. Healthcare professionals and cancer patients are being recruited to use the app, but anyone can take part by downloading it for free, either from the Apple App store or from the Google Play store.

This webinar was presented by Peers for Progress at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and the UNC Mental Health Coalition on how to be supportive to friends during the pandemic.

This seminar will explore the roles that media and social media have played in shaping both the national and global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how media will shape our health in the pandemic’s aftermath.
OTHER RESOURCES

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health and development community. Organizations fighting infectious disease, supporting health workers, delivering social services, and protecting livelihoods have moved to the very center of the world’s attention. But they find their work complicated by challenges of access, safety, supply chain logistics, and financial stress like never before.

To gain a better understanding of the big-picture implications, Devex asked 21 global health and development thinkers and leaders to share — in their own words — their insights and their predictions.

This brief provides key considerations for engaging communities on COVID-19, and tips for how to engage where there are movement restrictions and physical distancing measures, particularly in low-resource settings. It is designed for non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, government agencies, and other humanitarian and implementing actors working on health promotion, risk communication, and community engagement for COVID-19.

The goal of humanitarian aid really shouldn’t just be saving lives, but should also include management of suffering, regardless of expected outcome. This field manual of palliative care in humanitarian crises is a focused, easy to use guide for incorporating palliative care into international humanitarian aid operations of all sorts. This guide may be used in the field for on-site planning and management, for education of local personnel, and for training purposes in advance of deployment.

These COVID-19 Fact Sheets are translated in various languages for local health departments. They also have a bottom portion left blank for community organizations or local health departments to add in their own contact information.

This webinar highlighted perspectives on a people-centric and human rights-based approach to health security that is focused on delivering health for all through stronger health systems, a properly-equipped and financed health workforce, and responding to health crises while maintaining core women’s health services. Speakers shared recommendations and actions to propel advocacy to support investments in and commitments to women in the health workforce.

This flyer provides suggestions on what to do if you or someone you know is facing interpersonal violence.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is sharing expert perspectives and updates on the response to COVID-19.

Read all of STAT New's coverage of the new virus that has emerged in China and spread to countries around the world.

The Center for Global Development has hosted various webinars on the COVID-19 pandemic. Their next webinar, CGD Conversations on COVID-19 and Development: Mark Lowcock , will be on April 28th, 2020 at 12:00 PM ET . Read more and register here .

Past webinars:




In coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from the new coronavirus to  sign up to donate plasma   to help current COVID-19 patients.

People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that can attack the virus. This convalescent plasma is being evaluated as treatment for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections, or those judged by a healthcare provider to be at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease.
Consortium of Universities for Global Health
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