Strengthening the health system response to COVID-19 – Recommendations for the WHO European Region: policy brief, 1 April 2020 (produced by WHO/Europe)

This document is for decision makers and policy makers tasked with rapid re-organization of the health system during the COVID pandemic.  The policy brief summarizes 16 recommendations to strengthen the health system response to COVID-19 in the WHO European Region, to break chains of transmission and to diagnose and treat cases while maintaining essential services. The 16 recommendations reflect the characteristics of COVID-19, existing evidence- and experience-informed practices in health system organization and financing, and emergent practices in the response to COVID-19 within the Region and globally. These action areas are explored in more depth in the accompanying technical guides. All will be updated on a continuous basis in line with Member State needs, as they emerge during the pandemic.