The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, yet many people still do not understand how it affects the body. This infographic shows the events that occur following SARS-CoV-2 infection
While these steps may be crucial in mitigating the spread of this disease, they will undoubtedly have consequences for mental health and well-being in the short and long term. These consequences are of sufficient importance that immediate efforts aimed at prevention and direct intervention are needed to address the impact of the epidemic on mental health at the level of the individual and the population.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are likely to be significant increases in anxiety and depression, substance use, loneliness, and domestic violence; and with schools closed, there is great potential for a child abuse epidemic. This concern is so significant that the
UK has issued guidance on psychological first aid from Mental Health UK. 7 While the literature on prevention science is not clear across the population, it concludes that 3 steps, now taken, could help us prepare proactively for the inevitable rise in mental health conditions and the associated consequences of this pandemic.