Dr. Shyam P Lohani

THE second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and fear of contracting COVID-19 is making people panic as much as the virus itself. As the second round of this public health crisis grips the world as it was predicted, the mass hysteria of massive proportions seems to be building up again. The situation of fear psychology in the second wave is similar to the first wave if not worst suggesting that an experience is not always a good lesson. In fact, it heightens the experience many times.
COVID-19 has not only taken a heavy toll on our physical health but also disrupted our mental health and wellbeing. In reality, it is a difficult yet frightening time. We are again in uncertain circumstances and are helpless watching news of many cities and even all the countries shutting down again. Many of us are in the areas that have already been affected by the second wave of this pandemic and others are in a ‘wait and see’ mode. Most of us are watching the headlines and wondering, what is going to happen next? The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic is turning into dilemma that is difficult to handle for many of us. We are unsure how bad the situation might turn or the gravity of the impact we might face.
Uncertainties
It is important to remain well-informed about what is happening around our surroundings so as to act safely. Therefore, it is vital to follow advised safety measures in order to slow down the spread of the disease. It is not uncommon to see a flood of misinformation with sensational headlines that are sure to exacerbate our fear and anxiety. We are in a time of great uncertainties and confusion. There are so many things outside of our control, including how long the pandemic lasts, how other people behave, and what is going to happen in our communities. These queries often lead to searching the internet for answers and speculating for situations that might not be realistic. Focusing on unanswerable questions definitely results in insecurities thus make us overwhelmed, anxious, and drained.
Let us talk about a new term “coronaphobia”. Researchers have synthesised the term as an excessive triggered response of fear of contracting the virus causing COVID-19, leading to accompanied excessive concern over physiological symptoms, significant stress about personal and occupational loss, increased reassurance and safety-seeking behaviours, and avoidance of public places and situations, causing marked impairment in daily life functioning. There are several factors that lead to coronaphobia. These include reeling into uncertainties that are associated with any pandemic such as fear to contract COVID-19, financial insecurity, etc., adopting excessive preventive measures, fear with the news of world leaders or celebrities contracting the disease.
Anxiety is a normal as well as a healthy reaction to danger in the times of stress. It is often a defensive mechanism to an anticipated danger looming around us. Anxiety turns into troublesome condition when fear is out of proportion, intense, and persistent that leads to a condition in which it becomes hard to stop worrying and makes us avoid situations even when we are safe. Similar situations such as monitoring the body for signs and symptoms and becoming obsessive about cleaning, washing, and decontaminating lead to anxiety that is persistent and impacting our life need appropriate management.
During the time of pandemics, it is crucial for all of us to carry out our daily activities for a normal life, remain connected with the people as well as carry out our job obligations to maintain employment. Oftentimes, anxiety disorders start becoming troublesome and it increasingly becomes more and more challenging to follow through with daily routine. It is natural for most people to feel anxiety during a pandemic. We might have coronaphobia if we are having a hard time meeting our commitments or completing must-do tasks because we are panicked about catching the virus or worried that loved ones will get sick.
Spending more time on social media and consuming more information may also increase anxiety levels about the pandemic. This does not mean avoid it altogether but it just means that to limit the amount of time we engage with it by not constantly checking in to see what the latest news is or what the latest social media battle is about.

Roles of media
In order to tackle problems of anxiety and stress, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested various ways. Taking care of physical health, socialising with others and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has proved to treat anxiety effectively and efficiently.
With the development and mass vaccination campaign in the world, the level of anxiety may have lowered down a bit, but fear and the phobia still loom over our heads. The only way we can tackle anxiety is through self-control and by maintaining a sense of calm. In preventing coronaphobia, the media has a significant role. The media should use the language of news that will not create havoc among people to panic and fear, at the same time; it should not deny people factual information.
Our duty is not to share baseless claims and rumours about the virus on social media. Also important is the fact that a negative virus test does not mean we will no longer catch the virus or testing frequently does not protect us from the virus. Also, avoiding virus tests risks both our own life and the lives of others. Fear is a big industry during the time of the coronavirus pandemic and marketing negativities push the demand for goods and services that are often not required. It is, therefore, important to avoid the excessive dose of news and information on only one issue, i.e. the coronavirus pandemic.

(Professor Lohani is the founder and academic director at Nobel College. lohanis@gmail.com)