Home-based Respiratory Physiotherapy and Telephone-Based Psychological Support in Severe COVID-19 Patients

"Respiratory rehabilitation consists of 12 sessions of respiratory and physical exercises that patients perform at home with the help of a physiotherapist. Sessions have 1 hour of duration and are performing twice a week. Exercises include (1) Training of the respiratory muscles through pursed-lip breaths. (2) Effective cough exercises. (3) Diaphragmatic contractions in a supine position with a lightweight placed on the anterior abdominal wall. (4) Stretching exercise of extremities and the back.~The psychological support consists of 1 session to make the psychological history of the participant, and 6 sessions of emotion-centered problem-solving therapy, with cognitive-behavioral components and psychological management of emergencies and crises. These sessions have a 1-hour duration and are telephone-provided once a week by psychologists following the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Humanitarian and Disaster Emergencies."