The first ASPHER Statement (29th March 2020) on the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak emergency sets out our broad position on this pandemic. It included calls for coordinated public health action and use of public health expertise. This exhorts the 53 countries in the WHO European Region to implement wider training and a development of stronger public health workforces to help advise on and engage with all the COVID-19 pandemic measures that are needed now, and also to follow-up our populations’ health over a long term and to be better prepared for future epidemics.

Part of our public health’s central interests and role around inequalities and vulnerabilities related to the COVID-19 pandemic is to better understand the impacts on the most disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded groups in opulations populations across the region. Also, we can help signpost and identify useful sources of population profiles, research studies and good practice. Our work in all these regards is voluntary but where possible we will explore in more depth the hidden or neglected problems for thesepopulations and advocate with and for them.

Please click on the links to the items below to see the first set of materials produced during May/June 2020. These may be translated wherever possible into the different languages (and for impaired/disabled?) with the help of our partner university schools of public health and university

Statements:

Prisons and COVID-19 policies: the need for collaborative and participatory health interventions

Ethical and Professional Guidance for Public Health Academics and Professionals: How should we evaluate Country-level Rapid Reviews of Pandemic Impacts on Health Inequalities and Vulnerable population groups?

First ASPHER Statement on health inequalities and vulnerable populations from COVID-19

ASPHER Comment on the Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) Satement of the 7 Aprl 2020

Educational Material:

What is Inequality? Basic Health Inequality Concepts for Understanding the COVID-19 Pandemic ASPHER Basic Terms booklet

EUPHW Webinar on Inclusion of Autism in Europe 13 May 2020 (video recording)

Supporting Bibliography of selected sources – up to 31^st May 2020

Inter-Agency Standing Committee(IASC).COVID-19: How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement. WHO 2020 https://interagencystandingcommittee.org
Douglas M, Katikireddi SV, Taulbut M, McKee M, McCartney G.Mitigating the Wider Health Effects of covid-19 Pandemic Response BMJ 2020;369:m1557 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1557
British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine.Rehabilitation in the wake of Covid-19 - A phoenix from the ashes. BSRM 2020
Wakeman SE, Green TC, Rich JD.From Documenting Death to Comprehensive Care: Applying Lessons from the HIV/AIDS Epidemic to Addiction (‘Parallel Epidemics with a need for parallel responses’) Am J Med. 2014; 127(6): 465–466. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.12.018    
Boddington NL, Charlett A, Elgohari S, Walker JL, McDonald HI, Byers C, et al.COVID-19 in Great Britain: epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the first few hundred (FF100) cases: a descriptive case series and case control analysis
World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Wellbeing Public Health Wales. How are we doing in Wales? (How deprivation, age and gender make a difference to the impacts of Coronavirus) Public Health Wales 2020. https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/how-are-you-doing/weekly-hayd-reports/how-are-we-doing-by-demographics-report/
World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Wellbeing Public Health Wales. How are we doing in Wales? (Focus on Ethnicity) Public Health Wales 2020. https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/staying-well-at-home/weekly-hayd-reports/how-are-we-doing-in-wales-a-focus-on-ethnicity/
Triggle N. Coronavirus: What is the hidden health cost? (ref Parallel epidemic) BBC News 29^th April 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52461034
Yao H, Chen JH, Xu YF. Patients with mental health disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic. Lancet 2020:7(4);e21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30090-0 
Whitehead M, Barr B, Taylor-Robinson D. Covid-19. We are not “all in it together”- less privileged in society are suffering the brunt of the damage. May 22, 2020. BMJ Opinion https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/05/22/covid-19-we-are-not-all-in-it-together-less-privileged-in-society-are-suffering-the-brunt-of-the-damage/
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.Risk Assessment on COVID-19, on 23^rd April 2020. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/current-risk-assessment-novel-coronavirus-situation (last accessed 31st May 2020)
European Public Health Alliance. Joint Statement - Vulnerable Groups should be protected during the COVID-19 Pandemic. EPHA 2020
World Health Organisation. Health in All Policies (HiAP): Framework for Country Action. WHO 2014. https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/frameworkforcountryaction/en/
Paakkari L, Okan O.COVID-19: Health literacy is an underestimated problem. Lancet 2020:5;e249-50 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30086-4
WHO (ER), EC, EOHSP.  COVID-19 Health Systems Response Monitor: Cross- Country Analysis 21^st May 2020. How are countries supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their health workforce? https://analysis.covid19healthsystem.org/index.php/2020/05/21/how-are-countries-supporting-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-their-health-workforce/