An opinion piece published in today's MJA Insight Plus examines the role of palliative care in the  current COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-authored by Townsville-based palliative medicine specialist Dr Will Cairns and PCA Board Chair and palliative medicine physician, Professor Meera Agar, Integrating palliative care into COVID-19 planning discusses the broader issues relating to the provision of palliative care during the pandemic, including the "care of those who seem likely to die or are dying from COVID-19".

The article states:

"The community must be assured that patients will not be abandoned if intensive treatment for COVID-19 is unsuccessful or unavailable; whatever happens, they will continue to be provided with the best possible supportive care by which they may still recover. If it becomes clear that they are dying, their palliative care, with the goal of comfort, will not stop. All of us are responsible for ensuring that people feel confident that they will receive the palliative care that they need.

"We also need to be sure to care for one another."

Read the article in full here: Integrating palliative care into COVID-19 planning

Updated information relating to COVID-19 for health professionals, patients and carers can be found on the PCA website here

Dr Will Cairns and Professor Meera Agar are founding members of the Australian COVID-19 Palliative Care Working Group (ACPCWG).