Influenza is usually a mild, self-limiting viral infection of the upper airways with local symptoms (including runny nose, cough, and sore throat) and systemic symptoms (such as fever, headache, aches and pains, and tiredness). Symptoms typically begin 1 to 4 days after exposure to the virus and last for about a week.

Health inequities, defined as avoidable and unfair differences in health, have been worsening witin and between countries. This has been brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the editorial

The Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care at Stellenbosch University is hosting an eight week Primer in Network Meta-analysis Systematic Review course from 1 February - 25 March 2022.This course is for clinicians, researchers and policy-makers working in the field of HIV in sub-Sarahan Africa, interested in learning more about how to find, read and interpret network meta-analysis systematic reviews. Bursaries are available for 25 participants.

Making wise choices about low-value health care in the COVID-19 pandemicOveruse of health care can cause harm to individuals and threaten the sustainability of health systems. The importance of addressing overuse is heightened by the imperative to control healthcare costs, which were growing substantially even before the COVID‐19 pandemic. Read the editorial by Mike Clarke et al

In this interview with Jill Hayden we learn how this review, one of Cochrane’s largest reviews published to date, has led to new ways of working collaboratively and with an increased focus on research integrity. An ongoing update of this review will bring five related Cochrane reviews together into one.

Cochrane Convenes is an online event hosted by Cochrane and co-sponsored with the World Health Organization and the COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision making (COVID-END). For more information and to register for the plenary session click here

The Centre for Evidence Based Health Care at Stellenbosch University is hosting a Primer in Systematic Reviews online short course from 1 November - 20 December 2021.

Cochrane South Africa is offering up to 20 bursaries to attend the Stellenbosch University Primer in Systematic Reviews online short course. The course takes place from 1 November - 20 December 2021.

The latest edition of the Cochrane SA newsletter is now available.

The 2020 Journal Citation Report (JCR) has just been released by