We encourage you to have a look at a recent report on how COVID-19 has affected the recovery of stroke survivors:
https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke-recoveries-at-risk-report
If you would like to help, please consider signing an open letter to the UK government:
A big thank you to our Members for supporting the OPSYRIS 2020 Virtual Meeting – from your enthusiastic response to the idea, through spreading the word about the event among colleagues, to attending the webinar. Our disappointment with cancelling the annual face-to-face conference was rewarded manifold by what turned out to be the biggest meeting in OPSYRIS history, bringing together speakers and attendees from all over the world.
For those of you who missed part of the webinar, were not able to join us at all, or would just like to re-watch their favourite talks – we have some great news! The recording from the meeting is now available to watch here:
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/rec/share/SVvo06YB71EDiI7CMqoLgpv4D8edv1WB68XrzlqhuL0EIAbod7igIdJpl2cyREDk.gfY7cPorqZYBruVY?startTime=1600415968000
Presented talks certainly sparked a lot of interest, reflected in an impressive number of questions for our speakers. If you were disappointed that not all could be answered on the day or felt that the busy chat was tricky to follow, many of the details will be added to the website.
The situation regarding the COVID pandemic is one which continues to keep changing with time and between countries, and even within countries. But the article below was written earlier this year with usuefull links to resources relating to stroke during the time of the pandemic.
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduces so much change and uncertainty to both our personal and professional lives, we are all trying to keep a close eye on how the situation is evolving. There is a real danger of information overload and not everything that is being circulated in the public domain is useful or even true. With this in mind, you might find some useful resources following these links and/or might like to contribute to the information being posted.
We would especially commend the resources collated by the British Association of Stroke Physicians (BASP) – which are relevant to all clinicians working in stroke care and not just medics.
https://basp.ac.uk/covid-19-basp-resouce-hub/
Keeping up to date with COVID is a challenge. Yvonne Chun (previous winner of the OPSYRIS Rising Star award), Terry Quinn and others are working to keep the BASP pages regularly updated. Even if you are not a physician you may want to follow BASP on Twitter @british_stroke
Below are also some useful and aphasia-friendly resources for people living with stroke:
https://www.stroke.org.uk/finding-support/information-coronavirus-stroke-survivors
http://speakeasy-aphasia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Coronavirus.pdf
In the constantly changing COVID landscape knowledge is power. If you are aware of other useful resources or have developed local guidance that could be shared nationally via BASP then email Terry (terry.quinn@glasgow.ac.uk).
Other materials:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.029701
https://eso-stroke.org/eso/stroke-care-during-covid-19-pandemic/
https://www.world-stroke.org/news-and-blog/news/words-from-the-president-of-wso-on-covid-19
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQIapbl0Z72Vh5txQI3UGJbdUWEKh_b_d-nuxscIR2MjDKw/viewform