TY - JOUR T1 - Managing the supportive care needs of those affected by COVID-19 JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.00815-2020 VL - 55 IS - 4 SP - 2000815 AU - Sabrina Bajwah AU - Andrew Wilcock AU - Richard Towers AU - Massimo Costantini AU - Claudia Bausewein AU - Steffen T. Simon AU - Elisabeth Bendstrup AU - Wendy Prentice AU - Miriam J. Johnson AU - David C. Currow AU - Michael Kreuter AU - Athol U. Wells AU - Surinder S. Birring AU - Polly Edmonds AU - Irene J. Higginson Y1 - 2020/04/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/55/4/2000815.abstract N2 - Globally, the number of people affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is rapidly increasing. In most (>80%), the illness is relatively mild and can be self-managed out of hospital. However, for about 20%, the illness causes respiratory compromise severe enough to require hospital admission [1]. Patients with severe and critical disease need full active treatment. This may include oxygen for hypoxaemia and ventilatory support, along with optimal management of complications, e.g. super-imposed bacterial infection, and any underlying comorbidities, e.g. COPD or congestive heart failure. To date, no antiviral agent has shown to be effective in treating the disease [2].For patients with COVID-19, there is a moral obligation to provide good supportive care to prevent avoidable suffering. This article provides a succinct informative overview, clinical guidance and information sheets for both patients and families. https://bit.ly/2UPFsOjThank you to all the patients and members of the public at the European Lung Foundation and Cicely Saunders Institute as well as Howard Almond (Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis) and Sarah Dix for their valuable contributions to drafting the information leaflets. ER -