Resources Published Prior to April 2020

Please note: Due to the volume of resources in this category, resources published by month can be found on the following pages:

Resources published prior to April 2020
Joint statement on the role of respiratory rehabilitation in the COVID-19 crisis: the Italian position paper (March 30, 2020) Developed by several Italian medical societies, the statement summarises the evidence for rehabilitation for COVID-19 patients at various stages of the disease and across the continuum. Specific rehab recommendations are provided.
Physical exercise as therapy to fight against the mental and physical consequences of COVID-19 quarantine: Special focus in older people (March 24, 2020) Illustrates the importance of physical activity for older people during quarantine to maintain physiological function and guard against the mental and physical consequences and severity of COVID-19.
 Physiotherapy management for COVID-19 in the acute hospital setting. Recommendations to guide clinical practice (March 23, 2020) Developed by an international team of researchers and clinicians, the paper includes recommendations for physiotherapy workforce planning and preparation, a screening tool for determining physiotherapy requirements, and recommendations for physiotherapy treatments and PPE. The document is included on Quick ICU Training for COVID-19, an online resource from UofT and TAHSN clinicians, educators and scientists.
Please note: This document recommends use of airborne precautions; however, updated recommendations from Public Health Ontario (April 10, 2020) indicate that surgical masks may be used during routine care.
Navigating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Physiatry: A CAN report for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (March 20, 2020) Discusses how a “conditions, actions, needs” (CAN) report can be used to aid Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialists in acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) to navigate patient care during this public health emergency.
Handbook of COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment – The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (March 18, 2020) Based on the guidelines from the National Health Commission of China, the handbook summarizes clinical experience in caring for COVID-19 patients, including a short section on rehabilitation.
2019 New Corona Virus Pneumonia Respiratory Rehabilitation Guidance (Second Edition) (February 28, 2020)
Note: The English version of this document can be accessed using Google Chrome. Hover your cursor on the far right of URL address bar to access the translate function.
Developed by numerous medical associations in China, the guide combines evidence and opinions of front-line clinical experts, including clinicians from Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province. Work is underway on a 3rd edition that will provide more detailed guidance on home respiratory rehabilitation.