COVID-19: Operational guidance for maintaining essential health services during an outbreak WHO Interim guidance
WHO Interim guidance
World Health Organisation (WHO) "When health systems are overwhelmed, both direct mortality from an outbreak and indirect mortality from vaccine-preventable and treatable conditions increase dramatically. Countries will need to make difficult decisions to balance the demands of responding directly to COVID-19, while simultaneously engaging in strategic planning and coordinated action to maintain essential health service delivery, mitigating the risk of system collapse. This document expands on the content of the Operational planning guidelines to support country preparedness and response, and provides guidance on a set of targeted immediate actions that countries should consider at national, regional, and local level to reorganize and maintain access to high-quality essential health services for all." (Photo: UN Geneva/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Critical preparedness, readiness and response actions for COVID-19
World Health Organisation (WHO) "All countries should increase their level of preparedness, alert and response to identify, manage and care for new cases of COVID-19. Countries should prepare to respond to different public health scenarios, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing cases and outbreaks of COVID-19. Each country should assess its risk and rapidly implement the necessary measures at the appropriate scale to reduce both COVID-19 transmission and economic, public and social impacts." (Photo: UN Geneva/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
World Health Organisation (WHO) "This rapid advice has been updated with the latest information and is intended to guide public health and infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals, health care managers and health care workers (HCWs) when addressing issues related to home care for patients with suspected COVID-19 who present with mild symptoms and when managing their contacts." (Photo: UN Geneva/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Help Age International "This document provides guidance and advice for care homes about coronavirus, or COVID-19. While older people in care homes are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, there are steps that can be taken to reduce their risk, and to ensure they are well cared for and supported. Care home staff must also be looked after and must be equipped with information to protect themselves as well as those in their care. The document includes information on personal behaviour, action to take inside the care home, interaction with the outside environment, management responsibilities, governance, and what to do if someone has COVID-19." (Photo: Katja Busch / Kwa Wazee)
