International Dermatology Covid-19 Registry

Since the start of the pandemic, we have supported a number of dermatology COVID-19 registries. We are working with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to support an International Dermatology COVID-19 Registry. This is directed by Assistant Professor Esther Freeman from Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA.

Established in April 2020, the Registry is an important tool for collecting the dermatologic symptoms of COVID-19 to understand the relationship between the virus and skin. It has been a useful central point, enabling the quick sharing of information with the global dermatology community and frontline healthcare workers.

The Registry has now expanded beyond collecting COVID-19 symptoms and in December 2020 started capturing COVID-19 vaccine-related skin side effects.

We encourage healthcare professionals worldwide to submit cases to the Registry of any skin reactions they have seen that are linked to COVID-19 vaccines. These may include:

• Local vaccine reactions in the arm
• Generalised rashes
• Reactions at the site of prior filler injections

Each vaccine may cause different reactions.

Access the Registry

We are collaborating with the AAD on this Registry with the aim of extending our international reach. Cases can be entered by any healthcare worker around the world. You do not need to be a dermatologist or an AAD member. Data entry takes 5 to 7 minutes and requires no personal information. You will be asked to provide basic patient demographics, medical history and the new symptoms. Photos are not required. The COVID-19 diagnosis can be based on clinical suspicion if there is no positive test result.

The Registry does not collect identifiable details about the patient. Our goal is to analyse the data in real time, to better inform vaccination programmes and the public about possible skin reactions.

Clinicians have entered details on more than 1200 cases from over 42 different countries into the Registry. Data from this Registry has been used in Lancet Infectious Diseases, JAAD, and BJD among others, and has been cited extensively in the press.

The international dermatology community is helping to characterise the direct effects of the virus and advise on skin impacts from the vaccines.

The Registry enables us to quickly share observations globally without the institutional or national boundaries that can limit scientific collaboration. The success of this international effort depends on the participation of health workers caring for patients with COVID-19.

We hope to use this Registry to compile more complete and representative information on the dermatologic manifestations of COVID-19.

Access the Registry