Lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in schizophrenia: a review

Abstract

Purpose of review Multiple countries have reported increased COVID-19 mortality in patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of this review was to synthetize the consequences of the pandemic on patients with schizophrenia including vaccination data. Recent findings We have synthetized data on the increased risk of infection and increased mortality, the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns on psychiatric care, vaccination policies, unwillingness to vaccine in patients and the rates of vaccination. Summary Schizophrenia has been confirmed at increased risk of both COVID-19 infection and developing a severe/lethal form of the infection. Patients with schizophrenia should, therefore, be prioritized for vaccination whenever possible and should be prioritized for psychiatric and somatic care access. Psychotic symptomatology may be a barrier to vaccination in some patients, and heterogenous vaccination rates were identified in national databases. The COVID-19 pandemic has been also a unique opportunity to develop telehealth. A mixed face-to-face and distance model should be encouraged, whenever possible, to improve the experience of patients, relatives and healthcare professionals. No major change of long-acting antipsychotics has been reported in most countries, and there was no consistent evidence for clozapine prescription to increase the risk of COVID-19 infection or severe outcomes.