Experts stress need to assist the public

The public, many of whom live far from the novel coronavirus outbreak epicenter in Wuhan, Hubei province, can require psychological support just as much as frontline medical workers, according to experts.

They said people could become increasingly anxious the longer the outbreak continues.

Some behavior, such as bulkbuying of facemasks and seeking unnecessary admissions to hospitals, showed that the spread of the virus had triggered a certain degree of panic, the experts said.

On Feb 3, China Central Television reported that "sore throat "are increasingly being used as key words in search engines, a rising sign of public anxiety.

Chen Liangliang, a chief doctor from the Changning District Mental Health Center in Shanghai and a member of the team sent from the municipality to support medical workers in Wuhan, said, "Mental health must be taken into consideration when a society is dealing with a major public health and safety issue."

On Feb 3, Wang Bin, deputy director of disease control at the National Health Commission, said government departments and social groups are being encouraged to integrate psychological counseling resources to better serve the public, including suspected cases and those not affected by the virus.

Yu Lingna, a Chinese psychologist living in Japan, said one key measure to curb the spread of the virus－requiring people to remain at home and only to go out when necessary－has made some citizens anxious about being isolated from relatives and social support systems.

Such mental anxiety may have a long-lasting influence on some people, Yu said.

"A study in Taiwan in 2006, three years after the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, showed that 9.2 percent of survey respondents said they had become pessimistic about life owing to the epidemic," she said.

Yu added that some people may experience stress, emotional breakdowns and nightmares, and even become violent amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Wang Ping, a 32-year-old Shanghai resident and father of a toddler, said: "I'm mentally fragile these days. When I opened the window this morning, I worried whether a neighbor I heard sneezing would result in the virus entering my home. I feel rather unsafe."

Lin Zi, deputy chairwoman of the Shanghai Psychological Counseling Association, said various types of frontline workers fighting the virus need psychological support in particular.

She referred to a local neighborhood head in Shanghai who turned for help after a resident returning from Wuhan complained about being placed in quarantine for 14 days after two tests showed he did not have the virus. Neighbors said he should have been quarantined for longer.

"The heavy workload day after day puts grassroots workers in various positions under unprecedented stress and challenges. The neighborhood head said he suffered from insomnia for several days," Lin said.

At the start of the outbreak, people began to seek psychological help to relieve stress after cities were locked down, leaving streets deserted.

Experts suggested that those who feel anxious about such measures should take plenty of rest, as a lack of sleep can trigger negative emotions. Breathing deeply, taking part in sports, listening to music and talking to others also helps.

Doctors at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, where confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection are being treated, said good rest can improve people's mood, making them more cooperative with doctors and nurses.