Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Immunity and Exercise Intervention

Abstract

The aim of this review is to examine the mutual interaction of the regular moderate exercises that can be performed in an isolated environment and COVID-19 virus with the immune system and to emphasize the importance of physical activity and exercise practices which are known as complementary treatment method in struggling with diseases based on the data obtained. COVID-19 pandemic has become a great problem lately for the whole world population because of its fatal effect. Staying at home for months can cause sedentary behaviors and some changes in people's immune responses by restricting their physical and social activities. The databases such as PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus and Science Direct and Google Scholar have been used for scientific surveys while working on this review. The sources cited in this review include reports on past or current public health by more than one health institution, online information, and a total of 59 scientific articles published in refereed journals. In this review, the interaction of physical activity and exercise practices with immune responses during COVID-19 pandemic has been presented and it has been indicated that according to the data obtained from the studies conducted in previous years, physical activity and moderate exercise practices have a positive effect on immune system responses, but high-intensity and long term exercises suppress the immune system. As a consequence, social isolation during COVID-19 pandemic may cause sedentary behaviors. Therefore, individualized proper exercise practices are strongly recommended.