HIV & COVID-19 Podcast

Take-home points and resources from the originally recorded podcast found here: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/hiv-and-covid-19-what-do-we-know-so-far?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/sti

Take-home points

• PLWHIV who have COVID-19 do as well as the general population if they have no other risk factors and who are well immune-reconstituted on anti-retroviral medication.
• Encourage people living with HIV (PLWHIV) if admitted to hospitals to disclose their status to admitting physicians. 
• Encourage admitting physicians to contact the HIV specialist team as soon as a PLWHIV are admitted.
• Do not stop anti-retroviral medication even if the patient is very unwell without discussing it with the HIV specialist team.
• Check for potential drug-drug interactions on www.covid19-druginteractions.org
• Test people with COVID-19 for HIV to make sure they receive anti-retroviral medication to rescue their immune system. HIV testing saves lives!
• PLWHIV and their community need to proactively engage with strategies to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing to avoid catching COVID-19 infection and support their immune system.

Resources

British HIV Association:

• Intensive Care Society (ICS) and British HIV Association (BHIVA) statement on considerations for critical care for people with HIV during COVID-19
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) and HIV – Responses to common questions from the British HIV Association (BHIVA)
• BHIVA COVID-19 interim adult antiretroviral guidance May 2020
• COVID-19 & shielding: advice for HIV clinicians, GPs and people living with HIV
• EACS & BHIVA Statement on risk of COVID-19 for people living with HIV (PLWH)

Australasian Society of HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs:

• ASHM COVID-19 taskforce on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexual health
• COVID-19 and adults living with HIV: ASHM COVID-19 Taskforce interim recommendations 

Drug-Drug Interaction check:

• www.covid19-druginteractions.org

Reporting COVID-19 cases:

• NEAT ID Foundation: www.NEAT-ID.org 
• The Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients (LEOSS): https://leoss.net