By Adam Doggett 
Each month, CREATION.co’s respiratory tracking update brings you the latest insights into the online UK healthcare professional (HCP) conversation regarding respiratory disease.
UK HCP discussion of the topical coronavirus, a severe acute respiratory virus, was a consistent contributor to the overall respiratory disease conversation this month.
At the beginning of the month, HCPs were mainly sharing awareness posts and informational resources, educating their peers as well as the public. HCPs also advertised an educational online course facilitated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on how to control the virus.
Look at the new #OpenWHO course Emerging respiratory viruses, including nCoV: methods for detection, prevention, response and control https://t.co/G7ALwipv9q. @WHO
— Dr Sylvie Briand (@SCBriand) January 26, 2020
Other UK HCPs were more interested in the specific disease presentation of the coronavirus. Muge Cevik (@mugecevik), a UK infectious disease doctor, was of particular influence within the coronavirus conversation this month. Her post (part of a thread compiling data to have a better understanding of the virus) was shared by six UK HCPs, and many more globally.
Another important feature seen in #nCoV2019 cases is that only a few patients had upper respiratory tract symptoms (rhinorrhoea or sore throat), indicating that the target cells might be located in the lower airway. #IDTwitter https://t.co/WQKXSj0AxN pic.twitter.com/9tR9X6phSC
— Muge Cevik (@mugecevik) January 25, 2020
Anne Bruton (@AnnieBruton), a respiratory physiotherapist, shared the official NHS recommendations on coronavirus prevention, and along with many other UK HCPs, was a voice of calm in the public panic, providing reassurance about the simple measures that can be taken to take steps to avoid the virus. CREATION.co CEO, Daniel Ghinn, in a recent article, responded to this sense of panic, suggesting our enemy is fear, not #coronavirus.
Spoiler alert: No, masks not effective in community.
NHS advice for #respiratory infection avoidance:
– regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap
– avoid touching your eyes and nose wherever possible
– maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle#Wuhan #coronavirus https://t.co/lrba3LTUro— Anne💙Bruton (@AnnieBruton) January 23, 2020
When the WHO officially named the coronavirus “COVID-19”, HCPs in the UK and globally also actively shared this news.
New coronavirus #2019nCoV finally has an official name:
It is COVID-19 #COVID19
This gives a standard format to assign names for any future #coronavirus outbreaks.
— Muge Cevik (@mugecevik) February 11, 2020
Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease and this month we have seen UK HCPs consistently using Twitter as a platform to educate peers and public about the coronavirus. You can keep up to date with this and other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including drug approvals within the Tracking section of CREATION Knowledge, or sign up to receive our monthly eJournal with all of our latest HCP insights.
READ LAST MONTH’S RESPIRATORY TRACKER:
Methodology
- This article analysed the Twitter conversations of HCPs in the UK, discussing respiratory disease and related terms between January 22 and February 20 2020, using CREATION Pinpoint®.
- Between January 22 and February 20 2020, there were 3,006 UK HCP mentions of respiratory disease and related terms, from 1,501 unique UK HCP authors.
