COVID-19 Critical Intelligence Unit

Rapid, evidence-based insights during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Living evidence Evidence checks Risk monitoring dashboard Evidence digest COVID monitor Intelligence brief

Living evidence

High level summaries of key studies and emerging evidence, reviewed regularly and updated as soon as new evidence and information is published.

COVID-19 vaccines

Trials, efficacy, safety, effectiveness versus new variants, dosing schedules, authorisation

SARS-CoV-2 variants

Names, where first detected, transmissibility, virulence, susceptibility to existing vaccines

Post acute sequelae (long COVID)

Symptoms, assessment and management

Evidence checks

A rapid review outlining the available evidence on a discrete topic or question relating to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence includes grey and peer review literature.

Recently published or updated

View all evidence checks

Epidemiology and transmission

Community transmission and hospital infection, stages of pandemic, immunity, vaccination

Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Asymptomatic, disease progression, ambulance, drugs, community, hospitalisation, recovery, palliative care, death

Clinical models of care

Triage, virtual care, temporary hospitals, ethics

System capacity and evaluation

Infrastructure, hospital capacity, human resources, supplies, monitoring, surveillance, prediction, evaluation, post-pandemic

Risk monitoring dashboard

A dashboard focusing on transmission risk in healthcare settings. The dashboard brings together data on cases, clusters, the public health response, and the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce. An expert panel reviews the dashboard and assigns a risk rating. For details on infection prevention and control recommendations, please refer to the CEC framework.

Please note: given the current COVID-19 situation, the dashboard will be produced fortnightly until further notice.

22 Mar 2023 - Risk Monitoring Dashboard (PDF 485.1 KB)

Previous editions

Evidence digest

A summary of new evidence and reports from international sources. From 27 May, the digest will be produced on a weekly basis.

Subscribe to the evidence digest by emailing NSWH-CriticalIntelligenceUnit@health.nsw.gov.au

24 Mar 2023 - Thromboprophylaxis after COVID-19 hospitalisation, SARS-CoV-2 effect on respiratory features and mortality, surveillance testing in nursing homes. (PDF 172.0 KB)

Previous editions

COVID monitor

The final issue of the COVID-19 Monitor was published by the Agency for Clinical Innovation on Thursday 26 May 2022. Previous editions will remain accessible on this website.

The COVID-19 Monitor provides a snapshot of topical data and graphs – drawn from international and national sources. The content changes in line with emerging themes and current areas of debate and discussion.

May 2022 - COVID-19 monitor 2022-05-26 (PDF 1.2 MB)

Previous editions

Intelligence brief

The CIU Intelligence Brief is a report that focuses on key issues in health. It draws on a range of different types of evidence – research, data and experiential.

Jul 2022 - COVID-19 Update - Omicron variants in NSW (PDF 453.5 KB)

About the CIU

The NSW Health Critical Intelligence Unit provides rapid, evidence-based insights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its operations focus on systems intelligence, clinical intelligence and evidence integration.

Contact us

If you have a question or would like to contact the Critical Intelligence Unit please email: NSWH-CriticalIntelligenceUnit@health.nsw.gov.au

Enquiries from journalists please email: ACI-Media@health.nsw.gov.au