Correspondence

Mental health care for interventions, which provided various and protective measures, pre-job
group activities to release stress. training was arranged to address
medical staff in China However, the implementation of identification of and responses to
during the COVID-19 psychological intervention services psychological problems in patients
encountered obstacles, as medical with COVID-19, and hospital security
outbreak staff were reluctant to participate in staff were available to be sent to help
In December, 2019, an outbreak the group or individual psychology deal with uncooperative patients. Published Online
of a novel coronavirus pneumonia interventions provided to them. Third, the hospital developed detailed February 18, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/
occurred in Wuhan (Hubei, China), Moreover, individual nurses showed rules on the use and management S2215-0366(20)30078-X
and subsequently attracted worldwide excitability, irritability, unwillingness to of protective equipment to reduce This online publication has
attention.1 By Feb 9, 2020, there were rest, and signs of psychological distress, worry. Fourth, leisure activities and been corrected. The corrected
37 294 confirmed and 28 942 suspected but refused any psychological help training on how to relax were properly version first appeared at
thelancet.com/psychiatry on
cases of 2019 coronavirus disease and stated that they did not have any arranged to help staff reduce stress. April 27, 2020
(COVID-19) in China.2 Facing this large- problems. In a 30-min interview survey Finally, psychological counsellors
scale infectious public health event, with 13 medical staff at The Second regularly visited the rest area to listen
medical staff are under both physical Xiangya Hospital, several reasons were to difficulties or stories encountered
and psychological pressure.3 To better discovered for this refusal of help. First, by staff at work, and provide support
fight the COVID-19 outbreak, as the getting infected was not an immediate accordingly. More than 100 frontline
largest top-class tertiary hospital in worry to staff—they did not worry medical staff can rest in the provided
Hunan Province, the Second Xiangya about this once they began work. rest place, and most of them report
Hospital of Central South University Second, they did not want their families feeling at home in this accomodation.
undertakes a considerable part of the to worry about them and were afraid of Maintaining staff mental health is
investigation of suspected patients. bringing the virus to their home. Third, essential to better control infectious
The hospital has set up a 24-h fever staff did not know how to deal with diseases, although the best approach
clinic, two mild suspected infection patients when they were unwilling to to this during the epidemic season
patient screening wards, and one severe be quarantined at the hospital or did remains unclear.4,5 The learning from
suspected infection patient screening not cooperate with medical measures these psychological interventions
ward. In addition to the original because of panic or a lack of knowledge is expected to help the Chinese
medical staff at the infectious disease about the disease. Additionally, government and other parts of the
department, volunteer medical staff staff worried about the shortage of world to better respond to future
have been recruited from multiple other protective equipment and feelings of unexpected infectious disease
departments. incapability when faced with critically outbreaks.
The Second Xiangya Hospital— ill patients. Many staff mentioned that We declare no competing interests.
workplace of the chairman of the they did not need a psychologist, but
Psychological Rescue Branch of the
Qiongni Chen, *Mining Liang,
needed more rest without interruption
Yamin Li, Jincai Guo, Dongxue Fei,
Chinese Medical Rescue Association— and enough protective supplies.
Ling Wang, Li He, Caihua Sheng,
and the Institute of Mental Health, the Finally, they suggested training
Yiwen Cai, Xiaojuan Li, Jianjian Wang,
Medical Psychology Research Center on psychological skills to deal with Zhanzhou Zhang
of the Second Xiangya Hospital, and patients’ anxiety, panic, and other [email protected]
the Chinese Medical and Psychological emotional problems and, if possible,
Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section (QC,
Disease Clinical Medicine Research for mental health staff to be on hand to ML, YL, DF, LW, LH, CS, YC, XL, JW, ZZ); Mental
Center responded rapidly to the directly help these patients. Health Institute (QC, ML, LH, CS, YC, XL, JW, ZZ);
psychological pressures on staff. A Accordingly, the measures of Metabolism and Endocrinology Department (DF).
The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South
detailed psychological intervention psychological intervention were University, Changsha 410011, China; Changsha
plan was developed, which mainly adjusted. First, the hospital provided Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China (JG)
covered the following three areas: a place for rest where staff could 1 Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, et al. A novel
building a psychological intervention temporarily isolate themselves coronavirus outbreak of global health concern.
Lancet 2020; published online Jan 24.
medical team, which provided online from their family. The hospital also https://doi.org/10.1016/
courses to guide medical staff to deal guaranteed food and daily living S0140-6736(20)30185-9.
with common psychological problems; 2 National Health Commission of the People’s
supplies, and helped staff to video Republic of China. By 24:00 on 9 February, the
a psychological assistance hotline record their routines in the hospital to latest situation of new coronavirus pneumonia.
team, which provided guidance and share with their families and alleviate http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/yqfkdt/202002/16
7a0e01b2d24274b03b2ca961107929.shtml
supervision to solve psychological family members’ concerns. Second, (accessed Feb 10, 2020).
problems; and psychological in addition to disease knowledge

www.thelancet.com/psychiatry Vol 7 April 2020 e15

 Correspondence

3 Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z, et al. The psychological

impact of the SARS epidemic on hospital
employees in China: exposure, risk perception,
and altruistic acceptance of risk. Can J Psychiatry
2009; 54: 302–11.
4 Kang L, Li Y, Hu S, et al. The mental health of
medical workers in Wuhan, China dealing with
the 2019 novel coronavirus. Lancet Psychiatry
2020; published online Feb 5.
https://doi.org/10.1016/
S2215-0366(20)30047-X.
5 Xiang Y-T, Yang Y, Li W, et al. Timely mental
health care for the 2019 novel coronavirus
outbreak is urgently needed. Lancet Psychiatry
2020; published online Feb 4.
https://doi.org/10.1016/
S2215-0366(20)30046-8.

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