WHO shares mental health considerations during coronavirus outbreak

In an advisory, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has established the guidelines of how mental health can be affected by coronavirus pandemic. While public health authorities around the world are taking actions to contain the spread of the deadly virus, WHO, in their document stated that the crisis is generating stress in the population. The advisory also emphasised on a lot of important points and the first being racism. 

The advisory by the WHO read, “COVID-19 has and is likely to affect people from many countries, in many geographical locations. Don’t attach it to any ethnicity or nationality. Be empathetic to those who got affected, in and from any country, those with the disease have not done anything wrong”. 

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'Get the facts'

Furthermore, the advisory also mentions how one should avoid labelling people infected with the disease. The organisation advises the COVID-19 patients should not be referred to as 'victims', 'COVID-19 families' or the 'diseased'. According to WHO, it is important to separate a person from having an identity defined by coronavirus, to reduce stigma. 

The organisation further suggests, “Minimize watching, reading or listening to news that causes you to feel anxious or distressed; seek information only from trusted sources and mainly to take practical steps to prepare your plans and protect yourself and loved ones”. 

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It further read, “Seek information updates at specific times during the day, once or twice. The sudden and near-constant stream of news reports about an outbreak can cause anyone to feel worried. Get the facts; not the rumours and misinformation”. 

Meanwhile, dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as coronavirus cases continue to grow. They are also trying to pursue different types of vaccines which are not only faster to produce than traditional inoculations but might also prove potent. Several researchers even aim for temporary vaccines, such as shots that might guard people's health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting protection is developed.

The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 1,69,000 people and left more than 6,500 dead. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 155 countries and territories, resulting in the deaths of more than 6,500 people worldwide. However, Tedros also said that the coronavirus outbreak is a "controllable pandemic". 

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