Abstract Objectives Giving appropriate guidance to people living with HIV (PLWH) during the COVID-19 pandemic depends on having adequate data to inform recommendations. Several studies have now been published which inform such advice. The objective of this study was to collate this information and review the implications of emerging data. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of studies relating COVID-19 to HIV infection from the beginning of the pandemic to end of November 2020. We included both published and pre-published manuscripts and analysed papers according to whether they primarily informed risk of infection or risk of adverse outcome. Results 68 papers (including 11 pre-prints) were identified. In terms of risk of infection, it appears that PLWH are no more or less likely to become infected with COVID-19. In terms of outcomes and mortality, most early small studies did not demonstrate an increase in mortality compared to background populations. However, several larger, more recent studies from South Africa, New York and two from the UK demonstrate higher mortality among PLWH when results are adjusted for other risk factors, giving relative risks of 2.1, 1.2, 1.7 and 2.3 respectively. Apparently conflicting results may arise from differences between studies in their power to account for cofactors and confounding variables. HIV-positive non-survivors tend to be younger and have fewer comorbidities than their HIV-negative counterparts; mortality may be higher in PLWH with low CD4 counts. Conclusions Although the literature appears conflicting, large studies which account for covariates strongly suggest that HIV infection increases COVID-19 mortality. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Clinical Trial Not applicable Funding Statement No funding was received. Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: No IRB issues - literature review All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.