COVID-19 AND MENTAL HEALTH

 Coronavirus 2019 was first announced in Kenya in March 2020 after The World Health Organisation (WHO) had announced it as an epidemic. This brought tension to health care sectors especially witnessing how foreign countries were vastly affected by the virus and could not get the virus in control. (These are developed countries with high-quality Intensive Care Units, with expensive ventilators and experienced medical experts yet they could not control the virus). For our country, we sometimes borrow some of their doctors during the worst medical situations or send our doctors abroad to increase knowledge in the medical field. 

 

Great medical facilities abroad made our able ministers seek medical attention whenever they fell ill. But Corona is a different one, that it took a year to develop its vaccine, but again we are not sure if the vaccine works effectively. Kenya has a challenge in its public health sector. Usually, you’ll hear cases of lack of medicine, no hospitals in local areas, or fewer medical experts. Our health sector usually is frustrating. Due to this, the Coronavirus brought tension and increased panic to the people of Kenya. 

 

Lockdown was introduced upon the announcement of Covid-19; Schools were indefinitely closed, all outlets selling alcohol and eateries were forced to shut down. The pandemic indeed affected the routine, activities, and livelihoods of the people. Large populations of more than 1.4 million live below one dollar. They hustle and live from hand to mouth: They depend on their daily earnings and wages to feed their families and to pay rent. Shutting down their source of income highly affected their livelihoods hence their mental well-being. And so depression and a high number of suicides are highly reported.

 

No one is expected to meet the other. People are trying to avoid each other to minimize the transmission of the virus. And this has brought about emotional outbursts to some individuals. Also, misinformation from the internet and rumors increased tension and panic (people circulate unverified information during this period that no one is sure whether to believe it or not). People got glued to their screens learning how the pandemic is killing so many people in a day hence are affected with the fear of death. Alcohol addicts are still affected with withdrawal symptoms as the alcohol outlets were forced to shut down to control the spread of the virus. Cases of suicides as well were reported from the addicts.

 

Individuals who tested positive got terrified they were going to be isolated from their loved ones especially those who were the breadwinners of their family who could not accept their results. Few people were witnessed going out for testing because they feared being stigmatized and sent to quarantine. Coming to hospitals, the health care workers still didn't have the necessary equipment to protect themselves as they frontline the fight against the virus. Places of isolation got flooded thus an introduction to home-based care. This largely increased mental illness among individuals.

 

Directives made by the ministry of health to stay at home while observing social distance increased cases of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. For real, Corona has changed life forever. People who lost their jobs got involved in self-harm behavior. Also, just during this period of Covid-19, cases of domestic violence are highly reported from different communities. This is because at this time children and women cannot escape their abusers. Besides, rape cases are reported too, risky sexual behaviors from underage and pregnancy cases are increasing. Also, the high unemployment rate has increased fear and burden to the community.