Guidelines for Psychological Crisis Intervention in China’s 2019 Coronavirus Pneumonia Outbreak: The West China Hospital Model
Since December 2019, the city of Wuhan has been experiencing an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV, later renamed SARS-CoV-2), which spread to other cities in China. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak in China a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of 10:00 AM on February 13, 2020, there have been 1,366 deaths out of 59,834 confirmed cases and 16,067 suspected cases. Unprecedented measures have been implemented to contain the spread of the virus, such as canceling gatherings, extending the Lunar New Year holiday, and limiting the number of people in public places (e.g., train stations and airports). Both the outbreak and these control measures have caused widespread fear and panic. In particular, stigmatization and social isolation in confirmed COVID-19 patients, uninfected contacts, and related individuals exacerbate negative psychological reactions, such as adjustment disorders and depression.
