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COVID-19 – Recovery

March 15, 2021
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Fortunately, many patients with severe respiratory failure and COVID-19 infection make a gradual recovery. The oxygen requirement via the ventilator decreases over time, lung function recovers, and the endotracheal tube can eventually be removed, allowing the patient to once again breathe on their own. What happens next? After extubating, patients are usually monitored in the ICU for a few days to make sure they remain stable and their lung function continues to improve. They’re then transferred to a general medicine floor. Intensive and daily physical therapy is important to the days and weeks after discontinuation of mechanical ventilation. This allows the patients to regain musculoskeletal conditioning. Depending on how well a patient is recovering, a decision will then be made regarding discharge either to home or a rehab facility. Hospitals in ICUs currently are not allowing visitors, to minimize the community spread of COVID-19. Exceptions can be made in end of life situations. The best way to keep updated about your family member’s condition is to designate one member as a point of contact with the medical team. ICU physicians are busy, but always strive to provide daily updates for family members, usually in the late afternoon or evening hours, when the day’s work is wrapping up. ICU nurses are also a good source of updates for additional questions or clarifications.

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