By Mark Sullivan 
Each month, CREATION.co’s respiratory tracking update brings you the latest insights into the online UK healthcare professional (HCP) conversation regarding respiratory disease.
The conversation level of UK HCPs discussing respiratory disease on Twitter
Kicking off the first respiratory tracker of 2022, the activity of UK HCPs discussing respiratory disease online, between 21 December and 20 January, increased in volume for the first time in 3 months, to 3,484 mentions. Carrying on from 2021, the volume of COVID-19 related posts was less than the volume of non COVID-19 respiratory disease mentions for UK HCPs. However, 1,583 posts was the highest number of COVID-19 related mentions from UK HCPs since January 2021.
09 January saw the most respiratory disease online posts from UK HCPs this month. Many of these posts were encouraging people to be vaccinated against COVID-19, such as from doctor Elin Roddy who shared her opinions on the importance of vaccination and professor of palliative medicine Simon Noble, who humorously described the benefits to his colleagues of him having received vaccination. Noble’s post was the most shared respiratory disease post by UK HCPs this month with over 50 UK HCP retweets.
I am a Professor of Palliative Medicine. I’m vaccinated and have had the booster. I’m a 52 year old fat knacker, with asthma. Vaccination is an important step in protecting my colleagues on ITU whose backs would never recover trying to turn me prone.
— Simon Noble (@SimonNoble) January 9, 2022
The most shared story by UK HCPs this month was the ‘Infection prevention and control for seasonal respiratory infections in health and care settings (including SARS-CoV-2) for winter 2021 to 2022’ guidance, which was released on behalf of UKHSA. The guidance was met with mixed responses from HCPs, with some approving the new advice, but other UK HCPs criticising elements of the guidance, such as it not being drastic enough.
In a massive change for UK infection control, respiratory PPE is now required for all airborne infections! (not just if they're "wholly" airborne).
If you're caring for patients with COVID-19, you *must* wear FFP3 or equivalent.#FreshAirNHShttps://t.co/GHw7wm6RyX pic.twitter.com/RZEtHwc0Pn
— 𝚃𝚘𝚖 𝙻𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚘𝚗 💙 (@LawtonTri) January 18, 2022
HCPs used the hashtag #covid19 126 times this month, to share the latest developments surrounding the disease, as well as their own opinion. Many HCPs also used this hashtag to draw attention to other airborne respiratory viruses such as bronchiolitis and rhinovirus, which have had less hospitalisations than usual this past year, particularly among young people. HCPs also hoped that people would continue with their passion for ameliorating the risk of airborne viruses increasing education for people to truly understand other respiratory diseases.
The major pressure on the NHS is now on general wards, such as respiratory wards, and not ICU. Some hospitals are re-deploying staff to support teams in these areas. Extra help from army medics is most welcome, but we are still very short staffed. 8/14https://t.co/o088xskgOw
— Rupert Pearse (@rupert_pearse) January 8, 2022
Finally, UK HCPs also shared their experiences of the pressures currently facing the NHS and their colleagues. With problems such as short staffing and the need to discharge patients as quickly as possible, having a detrimental effect on the health system, this is only being exacerbated by the recent wave of Omicron and COVID-19 in general, and has been met with a cry for help towards the government.
Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease.
You can keep up to date with this and other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including COVID-19 developments, within the Tracking section of CREATION Knowledge, or sign up to receive our monthly eJournal with all of our latest HCP insights.
If you would like to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please do get in touch.
Methodology
- This article analysed the Twitter conversations of HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms between 21 December 2021 and 20 January 2022 using CREATION Pinpoint®.
- Between 21 December 2021 and 20 January 2022, there were 3,484 UK HCP mentions of respiratory disease and related terms, from 1,583 unique UK HCP authors.
