Editorial

We hope to find you all well and in good health.

COVID-19 has totally transformed the pattern of our lives, personally and professionally. The need for social-distancing and isolation has underlined the importance of the networks and bonds that we previously took for granted. In many ways, this separation has actually bridged some of the distances between us; we are more unified in rising to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19.  Our speciality is in the centre of the storm. Within the community of ESRA, we have seen at first hand the unique demands of the COVID-19 era. The provision of high-quality regional anaesthesia has never been more important.

Recognising the need for guidance in these difficult and unstable times, ESRA and ASRA have joined together and developed recommendations related to regional anaesthesia and pain medicine to assist you with the management of COVID-19 patients.

ESRA has developed a section dedicated to COVID-19 on ESRA Academy. Here you can find updated documentation, reviews of regional anaesthetic techniques, and other useful information. ESRA members have free access to the USabcd e-learning platform as well. This contains fantastic resources, including advice about pulmonary ultrasound, to assist with caring for COVID-19 patients.

At its core anaesthesiology is a science based on constant monitoring and safety for our patients. COVID-19 has reminded us of the crucial importance of ensuring safety for healthcare workers.  It is always worth reiterating that we must look after ourselves with the correct use of personal protection equipment.

But there is, and will always be, life away from COVID-19. If you want to ‘get away’ for a while, you can fly away and take a journey through ESRA Updates and its mountains and slopes. In this edition there is plenty of exciting reading; the adventures of the European day, Winter week and Innsbruck Pain and Regional Anaesthesia Cadaver Workshop organised before the pandemic; Patrick Narchi describes his professional journey as a regional anaesthesiologist and Harry Thompson tells us about life as a regional anaesthesiology fellow.

There is a new normal in our working lives, but COVID-19 will not always dominate. You may want to prepare to take the EDPM, and we provide some tips and tricks for your preparation for the exam! PROSPECT has published its latest recommendation on oncological breast surgery, essential reading for anaesthesiologists who work in this area.

Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Never has this been more true as the anaesthesiology community and broader medical profession meet the challenges of COVID-19. We look forward to seeing you all in person before too long.

In the meantime, we wish our members, their families and all our colleagues the very best.

ESRA Major Officers