The Coronavirus pandemic has created a challenging environment for the delivery of care to patients with respiratory disease. As our knowledge of the disease continues to grow, guidance and best practice in the space continues to evolve.  We will keep this page updated with all the latest advice. 

PCRS COVID-19 Guidance

• Identifying and Managing COVID-19 in the community
• Risk minimisation in spirometry re-start 
• Post COVID syndrome referral guidelines
• Recovering after COVID19 - a practical guide for clinicians and commissioners

Guidance by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

• COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19
• COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19
• Other NICE Guidance related to COVID-19

PCRS ‘Long Covid’ Position Statement

As the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic has evolved, it has become clear that the impact of COVID-19 infection is both significant and wide ranging. The published literature and patient anecdote highlight to us that the virus can have long-term sequelae, which present with diverse symptoms and signs, across a variety of body systems. These are not limited to those with severe disease, who were cared for in hospital and can also affect patients who have had mild or asymptomatic disease, and those patients who were affected early in the pandemic, when testing for SARS-COV-2 was not routinely available. Common symptoms include breathlessness, cough, fatigue, cognitive impairment, palpitations and chest pain. The research into ‘long covid’ is still in its infancy and there are more questions than answers at this stage.

The available guidance highlights the need for comprehensive, holistic, empathic, patient-centred assessment to gain a full understanding of the patient’s symptoms and of the need for further investigations and/or onward referral to specific specialties. This assessment should include investigation for and management of other conditions, as appropriate, paying particular attention to red flag symptoms such as chest pain. It is important that patients feel heard and that practitioners are able to be honest with them regarding the uncertainty around ‘long COVID’; including the pathophysiology of the condition and how to treat it.  Management and self-management should be tailored to the individual patient and include signposting to support services and information and realistic goal setting. The NICE/RCGP/SIGN COVID-19 rapid guideline provides more detailed evidence on specific aspects of ‘long covid’ care - see NICE managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 guideline and RCGP COVID-19 guidance and also SIGN COVID-19 Guidance developed in partnership.