Public health research on physical activity and COVID-19: Progress and updated priorities

• Research produced during the pandemic showed pre-diagnosis physical activity was associated with substantially lower risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. • Pandemic restrictions on common places for physical activity were associated with decreased physical activity and increased sedentary behavior. • There were few studies of interventions to increase physical activity during the pandemic, the role of physical activity in COVID-19 inequities, and built environment contributions to COVID-19 outcomes. • Emerging research priorities include physical activity and long COVID and physical activity as a vaccine adjuvant. • Except for recommendations from the World Health Organization, physical activity was widely ignored in public health guidance.