To all researchers in the disability and rehabilitation field: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), especially the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), is seeking applications for research into the nexus of COVID-19, disability and rehabilitation. NCMRR has released several Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs) in the past weeks and months, and yet has not received a high volume of applications from the field. NIH is looking to fund these critical areas of research, but they need your help!

AAPM&R strongly encourages all researchers to consider developing and submitting applications to NIH in the following areas:

• Research to address the rehabilitation needs of survivors of COVID-19,
• Research to understand the impact of disruptions to rehabilitation services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation actions, and
• Research to understand the social, behavioral, economic, and health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated mitigation actions on people with physical disabilities.
• Research on the mechanisms of and treatment for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), or “Long COVID,” especially on those with preexisting disabilities or new long-term or permanent disability as a result of Long COVID.

Further details can be found via NIH here: Research on Rehabilitation Needs Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic (NOT-HD-20-031); Notice of Intent to Publish ROAs for the NIH PASC Initiative. AAPM&R has worked closely with the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) to ensure that NIH places appropriate emphasis on research needs regarding disability, rehabilitation, and COVID – now the field must respond in turn.