The current pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, named COVID-19, holds the entire world to ransom. A proportion of the infected patients becomes critically ill, with millions being infected and hundreds of thousands who have died so far. In some countries, national lockdown restrictions are being slowly lifted, but the World Health Organization (WHO) still registers increasing numbers of confirmed COVID-19 infections across its membership states.
Against this background, the BSS brought together doctors from the respiratory and critical care response teams in Wuhan, China and London, UK in a webinar to exchange their knowledge and expertise and discuss current best practice in the management of patients with COVID-19. Following their presentations, sleep experts from the Executive Committee of the BSS discussed the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on sleep and shared practical advice regarding sleep health.
University of Lincoln, College of Social Science research
Joerg Steier, British Sleep Society, Lichfield, UK; Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; and King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK
Simon Durrant, British Sleep Society, Lichfield, UK; University of Lincoln, Lincoln Sleep Research Centre and School of Psychology, Lincoln, UK
Alanna Hare, British Sleep Society, Lichfield, UK; Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
on behalf of the BSS Executive Committee