Rehabilitation considerations for post-CoVID-19 patients

For patients that experience severe cases of the COVID-19 virus, no longer needing mechanical ventilation and leaving the intensive care unit are great successes. But, for some patients, recovering from the virus is just beginning.

“Patients recovering from COVID-19 have a variety of other negative side effects from the virus, including some that are very complicated,” says Sean Smith, M.D., an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Michigan Medicine.

Patients with CoVID-19 or post-CoVID-19 will most probably have a need for rehabilitation during and directly after the hospitalization. Data on safety and efficacy are lacking. Healthcare professionals cannot wait for published randomized controlled trials before they can start these rehabilitative interventions in daily clinical practice, as the number of post-CoVID-19 patients increases rapidly. The world health organization makes an interim recommendation for rehabilitation for post-hospital patients.

The following education pack has been created to give you basic help after your recent illness, it details how you can manage things such as breathlessness, your diet, and mental health. Read the booklet to help you or someone you know with their recovery after CoVID-19.