Many experts published their opinions about the impact of COVID-19 on rehabilitation early on, but none were based on real-world experience. Cochrane Rehabilitation wanted to share information rapidly as it emerged so rehabilitation services and patients around the world would know how the pandemic might affect them.

Since March 2020, Cochrane Rehabilitation have been compiling the best evidence available into a living rapid systematic review. They worked with the World Health Organization Rehabilitation Programme to identify the highest research priorities, and jointly defined the topics for which to search the best available evidence about the impact of COVID-19. These were also used to develop a Cochrane Library Special Collection.

They also developed an online interactive living evidence map which synthesises research relevant to the needs and priorities and provides an interactive access to the current results.

Learn more about the impact of this work by Cochrane Rehabilitation by reading short case story.