As a child specialist I see plentiful evidence clinically and in the research literature that this generation will be marked by the Covid-19 pandemic for years if not decades to come.

Historians have observed that pandemics are more disruptive and transformative than wars or revolutions. Even if the current vaccines are deployed successfully, the ongoing ripples of this pandemic will continue to play out.

The most vulnerable populations will be affected differentially: older people because of immunological risks and younger people because their formative years will be affected; poorer folks will have more risks in their jobs if they can keep them while richer folks can weather this out more easily; those who are withrawn and anxious may be less innovative in finding ways to cope with isolation and confinement while more extroverted types will either suffer by being housebound or find creative or imprudent ways to socialize.

As for vaccines, the immunity conferred will not likely be permanent and the new mutation first observed in the UK is bad news for the concept of herd immunity.

In sum, we are all at risk but some of us will be affected more than others by age group, financial and job security, and ways of coping by our different temperaments and social styles.

Vincenzo Di Nicola, MPhil, MD, PhD

University of Montreal

Ref:

V Di Nicola, N Daly. Growing up in a pandemic: Biomedical and psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on children and families. Special Theme Issue: COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Psychiatry. World Social Psychiatry, 2020, 2(2): 148-151.

I totally agree with Michael Uebel about multidimensional impacts of COVID-19 including mental health. In my view, mental stress can be minimized if we keep ourselves busy with some productive work but not thinking too much the pandemic. We shall overcome COVID-19 like other pandemic in the past.

Michael Uebel Thanks a lot Sir for sharing your views and very notable points. Very appreciated Sir :)

Proloy Barua Thanks for sharing your views, Sir. Yeah, I totally agree with your idea of keeping ourselves busy. There are various online courses from the renowned university free of cost which we can join to be benefited as well :)

Thanks a lot, everyone for the views and recommendation :)

There are possible long term risks concerning the suicide risk for the long-term effects from COVID-19 for the economic effects.

Every economic recession in the last decades has been accompanied by an increase in suicides, especially among middle-aged men. We also know that the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong resulted in an increase in suicides among older women.

Remco FP De Winter Yes Sir. Fully agree and thanks for sharing the important point of suicide. Widely reported studies modeling the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on suicide rates predicted increases in a wide range across the globe.

Serdar Kalemci

COVID 19 affects mental health .

spirituality also ( spiritual health ) good support for mental health ,....in generally for good mental health balancing mind ,body spirit is essential . meditation , prayer and exercise , good nutrition, keeping ourselves busy can help during this crisis.

Thanks a lot, Anupama.K Dayanand Ma'am for sharing your views and tips regarding our topic. We are facing this mental health pandemic for a decade and there is a need to address this serious issue as well.