Turkey’s response to COVID-19 in terms of mental health

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (also known as COVID-19) continues to spread throughout the world. In Turkey, which has a strong health system, most hospitals have been turned into pandemic hospitals, elective procedures have been postponed, and doctors have been reassigned to treat COVID-19. Efforts to limit spread of COVID-19 have been effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Behind this success was not only the intrinsic strength of the health system but also the strict changes in everyday life wrought by the crisis. It is an inescapable fact that these new measures, such as the imposition of curfew and lockdown, have had a significant effect on the mental health of the general population. Anxiety caused by COVID-19 has spread to the mental state of everyone. Although coronavirus-related diseases will end soon, it is predicted that serious psychiatric disorders will be a lasting consequence of the pandemic. Despite the many negatives brought by COVID-19, it has led to a positive unity between the public and healthcare professionals, and in spite of significant risks to their own health, healthcare workers have risen to the challenge of COVID-19.