Inclusion Criteria:

• - History of hospitalization for COVID-19 infection documented with positive PCR or positive serology in the previous 2 to 12 months.

• - Lung opacities on HRCT involving more than 10% of the lung volume, with fibrotic features.

• - DLCO≤ 70% of the predicted value.

Exclusion Criteria:

• - Pre-existing lung disorder with abnormal HRCT (including COPD, lung cancer, or pulmonary fibrosis) - Laboratory parameter thresholds: - renal insufficiency with following criteria: Creatinine clearance <30 ml/min estimated by the Cockcroft-Gault equation.

• - any of the following liver test criteria above the specified limit: Total bilirubin > 1.5 above the upper limit of the normal range (ULN), except in patients with predominantly unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (e.g., Gilbert's syndrome).

Aspartate or alanine aminotransferase (AST or ALT) >3 × ULN (refer to the protocol, Table 3 p 34 for the management of liver enzyme elevation).

• - Recent surgery with wound healing in progress(<7days ) - Patients with underlying chronic liver disease (Child Pugh A, B or C hepatic impairment).

• - Significant pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) defined by any of the following: 1.

Previous clinical or echocardiographic evidence of significant right heart failure. 2. History of right heart catheterisation showing a cardiac index ≤2 L/min/m² 3. PAH requiring parenteral therapy with epoprostenol/treprostinil.

• - History of cardiovascular diseases, any of the following: 1.

Severe hypertension, uncontrolled under treatment (≥160/100 mmHg), within 6 months of Visit 1. 2. Myocardial infarction within 6 months of Visit 1. 3. Unstable cardiac angina within 6 months of Visit 1.

• - Bleeding risk, any of the following: 1.

Known genetic predisposition to bleeding. 2. Patients who require. i. Fibrinolysis, full-dose therapeutic anticoagulation (e.g. vitamin K antagonists, direct thrombin inhibitors, heparin, hirudin) ii. High dose antiplatelet therapy.

• - Alcohol or drug abuse which in the opinion of the treating physician would interfere with treatment.

• - Ongoing or past antifibrotic treatment with pirfenidone or nintedanib.

• - Hypersensitivity to nintedanib, peanut or soya or to any of the excipients of the specialty Ofev® - Patients not able to understand and follow study procedures including completion of self-administered questionnaires without help.

• - No written informed consent from the patient.

• - Absence of affiliation to the French social security.

- Participation in another interventional research

At present, investigators have a very limited view on the long-term pulmonary sequelae after COVID-19 pneumonia, particularly in the most severe forms requiring hospitalization. Early thoracic HRCT is a useful tool for the evaluation of patients suspected of COVID-19 pneumonia. Typical features are evocative of the disease in an epidemic context, with multifocal ground-glass opacities, being nodular or not, or crazy-paving with or without consolidations, with a bilateral, peripheral or mixed distribution and involvement of the posterior zones. CT manifestations of fibrosis or fibrous stripes are described in COVID-19. Pan et al observed fibrous stripes in 17% patients in the early phase of the disease. Ye et al observed bronchiectasis in 2 patients (15.4%) and evidence of pulmonary fibrosis in 3 patients (23.7%) at HRCT performed at 4 weeks. Long term data are still lacking in patients with COVID-19 and the investigators do not know how many patients will have fibrotic sequelae from the acute illness.

Arms

Experimental: Nintedanib

Experimental group will receive nintedanib 150mg BID for 12 months in addition to standard of care (SoC). Nintedanib dose could be reduced to 100mg BID depending on tolerance according to investigator in charge of the patient. The prescription of SoC drugs or procedure will be let to the choice of the investigator in charge of the patient.

Placebo Comparator: Placebo

Control group will receive Placebo BID for 12 months in addition to SoC. The prescription of SoC drugs or procedure will be let to the choice of the investigator in charge of the patient. Standard of care may include pulmonary rehabilitation.

Interventions

Drug: - Nintedanib 150 MG [Ofev]

Experimental group will receive nintedanib 150mg BID for 12 months in addition to standard of care (SoC). Nintedanib dose could be reduced to 100mg BID depending on tolerance according to investigator in charge of the patient. The prescription of SoC drugs or procedure will be let to the choice of the investigator in charge of the patient.

Other: - Placebo

Placebo