covid- 19 had brought a sudden stop to life on the whole. In such a situation what do you think how was has it affected the public physically
and mentally ? Throw some light on it in the form of an Article in about
200-250 words
Answers
Unprecedented measures to slow and interrupt transmission of COVID-19 are buying us time and reducing pressure on our health systems, but at a significant social and economic cost. Physical distancing and isolation measures, the closure of schools and workplaces, are particularly challenging us - as they affect what we love to do, where we want to be, and who we want to be with.
It is absolutely natural for each of us to feel stress, anxiety, fear and loneliness during this time. At WHO, we consider the consequences of COVID-19 on our mental health and psychological well-being to be very important. That’s why this topic will be at the heart of our discussion today.
But before that, allow me to provide you with an overview of the current situation on COVID-19 in the WHO European Region.
Epidemiological situation across the WHO European Region
Since we last broadcast over a week ago, the number cases and deaths of COVID-19 in our Region have tripled. The rate of increase has been particularly marked in 4 of the 5 countries with the highest number of cases (Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland).
The WHO European Region has reported over 220,000 cases, and 11,987 deaths associated with COVID-19. This means that globally, roughly 6 out of every 10 cases, and 7 out of every 10 deaths are reported from our Region. As we speak, the global number of cases across the world has surpassed the 400,000 mark.
From available reports, we also know that 1 out of 10 infections are in health care workers and many more are in quarantine, itself affecting the ability of our health services to respond. This is particularly concerning to all of us. As of yesterday, Italy reported 6,200 infected health care workers. We must all take action to protect these courageous individuals as best we can. They are responding tirelessly to protect and care for you. We can only imagine their increased levels of stress during these times, yet, they are making great sacrifices for the benefit of the broader community.
While the situation remains very serious, we are starting to see some encouraging signs. Italy, which has the highest number of cases in the Region, has just seen a slightly lower rate of increase, though it is still too early to say that the pandemic is peaking in that country. Soon we will be able to determine the degree to which the measures put in place in many countries are having an impact.
In this situation, we need to remain optimistic, and physically and mentally healthy, as this will be key to our psychological resilience in overcoming this challenge united.