Psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak is a serious threat to public health, both physical and mental. Over 80 million people worldwide have already been infected, including almost 2 million deaths. Even if most people do not get infected they are at risk of suffering from the psychological consequences of the epidemic. The occurrence of serious infectious diseases contributes to the increase of fear and anxiety in society, which was also confirmed in previous epidemics of SARS, MERS and the H1N1 flu. With the increasing number of cases, the high number of deaths, and the inefficiency of health systems around the world, people feel fear of infection, death and complications. In addition to health problems, the COVID-19 pandemic has also brought changes in many areas of social life: closure of schools and workplaces, economic problems, as well as isolation from loved ones and limitation of social contacts. The stress of being in quarantine and long-term isolation occurred. All of this increased the symptoms of stress, which has been shown in many studies conducted around the world. Studies show differences in the response to the epidemic depending on gender, age and occupation. Research has also shown that people’s emotions and behavior during a pandemic can affect its course. Therefore, in addition to fighting the medical aspect of COVID-19, it is also worth spending time and resources on analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological functioning of individuals and helping people who experience the worst psychological consequences of the epidemic.