Although we are currently overwhelmed by the astonishing speed of infection of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the daily onslaught of new, and ever-worsening predictions, it is vital that we begin to prepare for the aftershocks of the pandemic. Prominent among this will be the cohort of post-intensive case survivors who have been mechanically ventilated and will like experience short- and medium-term consequences. The notion that patients surviving intensive care and mechanical ventilation for several weeks can be discharged home without further medical attention is a dangerous illusion. Post Intensive Care Syndrome and other severe conditions will require not only adequate screening but early rehabilitation and other interventions. Action must be taken now to prepare for this inevitable aftershock to the healthcare system.

While the long-term impacts of the novel coronavirus are largely unknown,
the effects of extended ICU stays and intubation on severely ill patients are
alarmingly clear. In the midst of a pandemic that has affected over 2.7
million people in the United States alone, some medical professionals are
now concerned that the health-care system will continue to be overwhelmed
by patients who are dealing with the aftermath of the coronavirus.

The long-term effects of surviving COVID-19 have become a new focus of attention for clinicians and researchers. This focus has been driven partly by concerns about late ill-effects of a previously unknown virus, but recognised generic patterns of chronic disease after critical illness also exist. These patterns are termed PICS, an acronym both for post-intensive care syndrome and for persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome. We recommend unifying post-COVID-19 research aims with those of PICS research and propose a novel approach to its management by repurposing drugs that are approved, inexpensive, and safe.