Palliative care for patients with severe covid-19

What you need to know• Many patients with severe covid-19 experience distressing symptoms, including breathlessness and agitation.Palliation of suffering is an important part of care irrespective of prognosis • Patients with severe covid-19 may deteriorate rapidly.It is therefore useful to have a strategy in place for managing deterioration and potential death (for those not suitable for escalation to intensive care), which runs alongside the acute medical management plan • Clear and timely communication with the patient (if they are able) and their carers is essential.Conveying hope that treatments will help needs to be sensitively balanced with explicit acknowledgement that patients are sick enough to die "To cure sometimes, to relieve often, and to comfort always.