Those individuals who have presented with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, including those who have been managed on an intensive care unit or required CPAP or high concentrations of oxygen therapy on a COVID-19 ward, or those who experienced complications of COVID-19 pneumonia during their admission, should be followed up according to the British Thoracic Society pathway (linked below).

The BTS guideline describes a structured approach to follow-up of patients with severe COVID-19 following their discharge from hospital. This includes a holistic review at 4-6 weeks assessing for clinical improvement, breathlessness, oxygen requirements, rehabilitation and psychological needs. A 12 week face to face review should include a repeat CXR to check for radiological resolution. In some patients further imaging and physiological tests will be required to screen for late complications of COVID-19.

The recommendation of the BTS guidelines is to assess patients in a dedicated post COVID-19 clinic, allowing data collection and research into the potential complications of COVID-19.