Author : Ansari, Anwar Hussain
European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine,
2020, Volume 7, Issue 11, Pages 5287-5309
The year 2020 saw the emergence of a novel, highly contagious, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that originated in the Wuhan province of China and spread across the globe. This led to a worldwide pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO), within a month of cases being detected, declared the illness as a ―public health emergency of international concern‖. COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 not only affected the public health resulting in neurological manifestations (headache, dizziness, or cerebrovascular symptoms), but also initiated a plethora of mental health issues like anxiety, depression and suicidal tendencies. Having spread to over 200 countries, this virus has been a dire cause of concern for primarily two reasons: the threat they possess to the physiological and psychosocial health of the individuals; and the fear, anxiety and panic that has arisen as a result of the pandemic. Most nations, including India, underwent a complete lockdown with stringent norms of social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine (for infected patients). As the nation tried to manage the situation, guidelines were set up for all its citizens by providing personal protective equipment (PPE), instilling practices like wearing a protective mask, gloves and frequent sanitisation in order to curb the spread of disease and safeguard public health. This review discusses the influence of COVID-19 on the mental health of the general population, focusing on the adolescent, pregnant and elderly; its proposed mechanism of action, and possible strategic interventions to protect the people, offer supportive measures to enhance quality of life, and prevent the spread.