[Post-COVID-19 rehabilitation;a matter of customisation]

ABSTRACT

In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, knowledge about the natural course of recovery of COVID-19 is limited. We therefore describe - based on generic knowledge of post IC syndrome (PICS) and (pulmonary) rehabilitation - the possibilities to organize personalized rehabilitation programs in several care settings. To illustrate variety in need for rehabilitation, we described three cases of critical COVID-19 disease survivors after treatment in the intensive care unit. Some patients require immediate rehabilitation following hospitalization, but rehabilitation may also be initiated in the home environment. For the latter population monitoring of progress and recovery should be organized to assess whether a more intensified multidisciplinary rehabilitation program is needed. This may be initiated in one of the medical rehabilitation centers or in pulmonary rehabilitation centers. Post-COVID-19 rehabilitation, regardless of the specific form, should be patient-centered and multidisciplinary organized.