The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has overwhelmed the healthcare system across the globe. The highly contagious nature of the disease, enormous caseload, and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure associated with the disease has led to a surge in demand for intensive care unit (ICU) beds. As in our country, intensive care facilities are already limited and unevenly distributed, the challenges of providing care to the critically ill are manifold. Furthermore, despite intense research, there is currently no effective treatment against the COVID-19 infection. The ICU mortality rate of COVID-19 is twice compared to other viral pneumonia. Apart from disrupting the physical health, COVID-19 infection has mental health ramifications for ICU patients, such as, depression, insomnia, post-intensive care syndrome. Additionally, the frontline healthcare workers of ICU are at risk of adverse physical and mental consequences directly as the result of providing care to patients. To maintain a sustainable workforce there is an urgent need for the implementation of strategies aimed to reduce the burden of health consequences.
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