Improving the mental health and wellbeing of the health-care workers and the community through collective actions: Corona virus disease 2019 pandemic

• Main Authors: Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava, Prateek Saurabh Shrivastava
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Annals of Indian Psychiatry
• Subjects: corona virus disease-2019 pandemic; mental health; physical health; world health organization
• Online Access: http://www.anip.co.in/article.asp?issn=2588-8358;year=2020;volume=4;issue=1;spage=94;epage=95;aulast=Shrivastava

The Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern and has affected the health status of thousands of the people across the world. As the disease is transmitted between humans by close contact, steps have been taken by the nations to close educational institutions and workplaces to minimize the risk of disease transmission. At the same time, some of the nations have even imposed lockdown within their settings. However, such actions have disturbed the routine schedule of many people and at times compelled both elderly and young people into loneliness. Even the health professionals, who are fighting against the infection for improving the health of other individuals, have to deal with lots of mental stress and workload pressure leading to physical and mental exhaustion. In conclusion, in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to acknowledge our fears and apprehensions about the disease and not undermine it. However, the need of the hour is to understand these aspects and respond to them with the concerted assistance of individual, communities, health sector, and policy makers.