BACKGROUND AND AIM: Primary health care (PHC) supported long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in attending COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study is to describe the role of PHC in LTCFs in Europe during the early phase of the pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study from 30 European countries using data from September 2020 collected with an ad hoc semi-structured questionnaire. Related variables are SARS-CoV-2 testing, contact tracing, follow-up, additional testing, and patient care. RESULTS: Twenty-six out of the 30 European countries had PHC involvement in LTCFs during the COVID-19 pandemic. PHC participated in initial medical care in 22 countries, while, in 15, PHC was responsible for SARS-CoV-2 test along with other institutions. Supervision of individuals in isolation was carried out mostly by LTCF staff, but physical examination or symptom's follow-up was performed mainly by PHC. CONCLUSION: PHC has participated in COVID-19 pandemic assistance in LTCFs in coordination with LTCF staff, public health officers, and hospitals.

Associate Professor and Medical Doctor for General Practice and Primary Care Medical University of Vienna Austria

Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale di Modena; Laboratorio EduCare University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Italy

Center for Family Medicine Medical Faculty Skopje North Macedonia

Centre Hospitalier Neuro Psychiatrique CHNP Rehaklinik Ettelbruck Luxembourg

Charles University 1st Faculty of Medicine Institute of General Practice Czech Republic

Communicable Diseases and Infection Control Unit City of Vantaa and University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland

Comprehensive Health Research Center NOVA Medical School Universidade Nova de Lisboa; USF das Conchas Regional Health Administration Lisbon and Tagus Valley Lisbon Portugal

Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö Centre for Primary Health Care Research Lund University Malmö Sweden

Department of Family Medicine and Outpatient Care Medical Faculty 2 Uzhhorod National University Ukraine

Department of Family Medicine and Outpatient Care UZHNU Medical Faculty 2 Ukraine

Department of Family Medicine Andrija Stampar School of Public Health School of Medicine University of Zagreb Croatia; Health Centre Zagreb West Croatia

Department of Family Medicine Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University Krakow Poland

Department of Family Medicine Faculty of Medicine University of Ljubljana Slovenia; Chairperson of EGPRN

Department of Family Medicine Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel

Department of Family Medicine Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel; WONCA Europe President

Department of Family Medicine Semmelweis University Hungary

Department of Family Medicine UJCM at Uniwersytet Jagielloński Collegium Medicum Poland

Department of Family Medicine University of Semmelweis Budapest Hungary

Department of General Practice University of Lille UFR3S France

Department of Geriatric Medicine Hôpitaux Robert Schuman Luxembourg

Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

Department of Public Health Institute of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine Vilnius University Lithuania

Department Urology and General Practice Faculty of Medicine Medical University of Plovdiv Bulgaria

European Parliament Luxembourg

Faculty of Medicine Ss Cyril and Methodius University Skopje North Macedonia

Federica Montseny Health Centre Gerencia Asistencial Atención Primaria Servicio Madrileño de Salud Madrid Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón Madrid Spain

Federica Montseny Health Centre Gerencia Asistencial de Atención Primaria Servicio Madrileño de Salud Madrid Spain

General Medicine Department Belarusian State Medical University Belarus

Health Center Dr Đorđe Kovačević Lazarevac Belgrade Serbia

Health Center Kraljevo Kraljevo Serbia

Health Center Krupa na Uni Republic of Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina

Health Centre Zagreb Centar Zagreb Croatia

Healthcare Quality Technical Assistant Territorial Quality Unit Camp de Tarragona Healthcare Directorate Catalan Institute of Health Catalonia Government Spain; Semfyc Wonca World Executive Board University of Zaragoza GIBA IIS Aragon Spain

Imperial College London United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine University of Porto Portugal

Investigation Support Multidisciplinary Unit for Primary Health Care and Community North Area of Madrid Madrid Spain

Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology Medical Department Faculty of Health Sciences University of Ioannina Greece; Family Doctor GHS Larnaca Cyprus

Lecturer Bursa Uludağ University Family Medicine Department Turkey

Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Hannover Germany

Medizinische Hochschule Hannover OE 5430 Carl Neuberg Str 1 30625Hannover Germany

Member of Irish College of General Practice Ireland

Närhälsan Kungshöjd Health Centre Gothenburg Sweden; Department of Pharmacology Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden

Närhälsan Sannegården Health Centre Gothenburg Sweden

Natalija North Macedonia

Research Group Self Regulation and Health; Institute for Health and Behaviour Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences Faculty of Humanities Education and Social Sciences Luxembourg University Luxembourg

Research Unit for General Medicine and Primary Health Care Faculty of Medicine School of Health Science University of Ioannina Ioannina Greece

School of Social Sciences Hellenic Open University Patras Greece

Spiru Haret University Practising Family Doctor Occupational Health Expert Bucharest Romania

Van Gürpınar District Public Hospital Turkey

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