No abstract

Concerns about the increasing spread of COVID-19 have raised and the global epidemic has led virtually all countries around the world to take quick protective measures. Staying at home against infection risks has been a key safety step that can limit the spread of infections to a wider population. However, this measure resulted in sedentary behaviors, such as playing games on the digital media, watching television, spending excessive time on mobile devices, and decreased physical activity. In this study, the following issues are addressed: importance of physical activity, which has a positive effect on health protection and immune system strengthening, anxiety, and depression reduction during the COVID-19 outbreak; informing people about the available opportunities to be active; the benefits of being active; the amount of activity one should do; and, how safe performing physical activity is. During the pandemic, it is vital to disseminate appropriate messages to encourage the public to engage in physical activity, and to provide information about the benefits of adopting an active lifestyle.

It was aimed in this article to draw attention to the following issues: the importance of issuing guidelines on what countries can or should do in order for individuals with disabilities to maintain their daily exercises or physical activity routines, and informing the public about it; the importance of considering the needs of a person with disabilities in emergency preparedness and response plans of the countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; the importance of the dissemination of public health messages in plain language and accessible formats through all mass media channels; the importance of providing psychosocial support to persons with disabilities and their families; and, the importance of strengthening support networks for persons with disabilities. In the research, the literature on Covid-19 and physical activity in disabilities published in 2020 was scanned via Pubmed and Google Scholar, and the study was designed as a review. Analysis of the related literature showed that it is important to develop a habit of performing regular physical activity in disabilities and to continue these activities especially during the pandemic period. In this review, persons with disabilities should be informed about what they can or should do to maintain their daily exercise or physical activity routines.