Abstract
We describe the basic principles of mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic that should be endorsed by the mental health professional associations and incorporated in the health strategies for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main principle is that there should be no substantial differences in the provision of health care for COVID-19 between persons with pre-existing mental health disorders and the ones without previous disorders. Subsequently, the organization of the health care should reflect that as well. These principles should (a) prevent the possible effects of stigmatizing attitudes toward mental health issues, possibly leading to potentially deleterious situations, such as psychiatric patients being treated (even temporarily) separately from other patients, in psychiatric facilities, where the staff is not equipped and trained adequately for the management of COVID-19; (b) highlight the fact that patients with mental health disorders are at greater risk for developing serious complications of COVID-19 infection due to other factors-they often smoke and have comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, all associated with higher morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection; (c) highlight that measures should be taken to minimize the risk of the spread of infection in psychiatric wards/institutions; (d) provide a general framework for the reorganization of mental health services toward the provision of services for persons in need, including frontline medical workers and patients with COVID-19 without previous mental health problems as well as for persons with pre-existing mental health problems under new circumstances of pandemic.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) developed following a series of events, with the first one of them being the International Sanitary Conference, organized as an attempt of the Western countries to stop the spreading of cholera by maritime routes from Asia
Laying down the principles of health as having socioeconomic, political, and cultural dimensions, and organizing the health care based on the principles of holism and availability to everyone, these pivotal decisions of the WHO granted the same standard of care to all persons, not excluding persons with mental disorders and disabilities [2]
While the WHO clearly stated that the management of mental disorders is listed among the essential health services to be guarantee during the COVID-19 pandemic [7], it is essential that the organization of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic is supported uniformly by mental health professionals, to ensure its adequate implementation
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) developed following a series of events, with the first one of them being the International Sanitary Conference (in 1851), organized as an attempt of the Western countries to stop the spreading of cholera by maritime routes from Asia. The same care for physical health and safety should be available and provided to persons with pre-existing mental disorders and their close ones as to all other members of society.
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