COVID-19 chapters update

The chapters discussing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 from the McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine have just been updated to address new findings and emerging evidence behind different recommendations.

The chapters, developed by a team of experts in infectious diseases and critical care, present an overview of etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods.

Updates in the general chapter on COVID-19 focus on the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, among other things. Updates in the chapter discussing vaccination include information on the new viral vector vaccines against COVID-19 recently approved for use in Canada, with indications, contraindications, immunization schedules, adverse events, and shipping and storage instructions.

The contents of both chapters are regularly reviewed and updated, taking into account new findings, trial results, and other emerging evidence. The strength of recommendations and quality of evidence is evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) methodology.

The texts are accompanied by chapters exploring the use of imaging studies in patients with COVID-19.