Corona virus disease which also called as COVID-19 is a new strain of influenza virus that emerged from Wuhan, the capital of city of Hubei, it’s the largest city in central of China, with a population more than 11 million. Coronavirus spreads easily and very quickly, until now we reach 2,293,644 million cases word wide and 6302 cases in United Arab Emeriti, the virus spread through direct contact with infected person, and indirect contact by touching infected surfaces and objects, however we can reduce or prevent the spreading of the virus by frequently washing our hands with soap and water for at least 20secondes, stay home when you feel sick, avoid touching your face and eyes without washing your hands and cover your mouth with tissue or by using the elbow technique while coughing or sneezing, this the main preventive measures that everyone can do to help preventing the spreading of the virus.
Corona virus cause infection in the respiratory tract, and it can lead to serious complications if it’s not been treated and even can lead to death. The complications of the virus don’t appear to any one, it’s become especially to the patients older than 65years and to those with chronic illness like diabetes, asthma, chronic lung disease, serious hears conditions, and also people with sever obesity [body mass index (BMI) 40 and higher].
The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe and it include high fever, dry cough, dyspnea, fatigue, pain in the muscles and sometimes “anosmia” loss of the smell sensation, this symptoms if it’s not been treated it can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, kidney failure, sepsis and septic shock that can lead to the death of the patient, and until now the mortality number reached to 157,400, however there is no vaccine and specific treatment for the COVID-19 until now, only the patient can take some medications to relive the symptoms of the disease like pain, coughing, fever.
The huge increase in the number of cases, number of mortalities, the preventive measures “quarantine” and until now not founding a treatment for the COVID-19, all of these are causing a psychological impairment of people in general especially to the people who loss a someone that they now by this virus.
Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values
During this pandemic we must consider the psychological, attitude, beliefs, and values of individual, families, social and healthcare professionals related to COVID-19, and as we know the attitude is an expression of favor or disfavor toward a person, thing, place or event and it could be negative or positive attitude, in this situation the attitude that we are facing from the people is mostly negative attitude, because of this pandemic everyone is stressed and actually no one is feeling good, dead of someone they love because of coronavirus, and also some people staying at home for along time lead them to negative attitude, and also distance learning sometimes may be the reason, huge amount of assignments and very long material with short period of time to prepare it lead them to negative attitude.
If we talk about beliefs, beliefs are your map of reality, they are the lenses through which we perceive the world, there is a people that belief in someone family member, friend, extra, for those if someone they belief on him die from the coronavirus they will really be in a very bad situation and no one will can deal with them, we have to consider their situation, and for example the healthcare professionals they belief that they are working to save lives, and in this pandemic they are losing a lot of patients, also the families specially parents when there child get infected these can lead to psychological impairment.
Values, so what is value, value is a measure of the worth or impotence a person attaches to something, our value are often reflected in the way we live our lives, it’s like what a said in the beliefs part, but in my opinion I think that beliefs are more strong than values, like someone that I give a value this value can disappear in a one wrong word or another thing, for example the healthcare professionals they give a value to there patients but when the patient leave the hospital there is no value to him anymore like the other patients who will enter the hospital after him, but of course they care about them but not like before, that is why I think that the belief is more strong that the value.
Spirituality and Religious Aspects of COVID-19 Pandemic
Spirituality and religious are playing a big role during this pandemic, spirituality refers to a belief in higher power, an awareness of life and it’s meaning, the centering of a person with purpose in life, there three ways of response to the COVID-19 it affects us physically, mentally, and spirituality.
Physically affect is by the quarantine, and social distance since the people are all the time staying and home and no socialization, the other affect is on our mental health and the best way to avoid it is by relaxation and also by prying reading Quran, and as I think each religion has his on way for relaxation techniques, for Muslim people is as I said before, sometimes it seems very difficult relax because of this pressure but the person have to try his best so he will not be mentally affected which can lead to depression, the third and last affect is the spirituality, the spiritual effect of the outbreak, that is being neglected, even though the presence of death, whether we want it to or not, evokes concern about the state of our souls. Spiritual well-being is alien to many people’s daily lives, and with the decline of organized religion, millions of people experience a sick soul, however you want to define it — weariness of heart, existential dread, a sinking feeling that nothing really matters — without finding a way out, We don’t need to apply the words “religious” or “spiritual” to these modes of healing. They are based on long traditions, both East and West, that have examined and understood the human condition. More to the point, they are practical. They give you a sense of control over your life. By bringing you closer to your soul, spirit, higher awareness or deeper self (choose any term you prefer), these things reverse the most damaging spiritual trend in modern society: the desperate urge to flee from ourselves.
The COVID-19 has effected religion in many ways, by closing mosques, and for the other religions by closing the Sunday schools as well as the cancelation of festivals and pilgrimages surrounding observances, this this can affect the psychologic and become worse than how is it now, because the religion is primarily a set of beliefs.
Loss and Grief Among Families and Friends
An event like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and the loss it brings can shatter your sense of safety. As you do your part to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19, you are likely experiencing loss related to work, finances, social interactions, and family obligations, among others. You may also experience the death of someone you know.
All of these losses can be significant and traumatic. The realities of physical distancing and isolation policies mean you may not be able to experience and cope with grief in ways you previously had, such as being with loved ones during their last days, physically spending time with friends and family, visiting your place of worship, or attending a funeral in person. These changes can be traumatic and may impact your grieving process. Recovery will take time and can be difficult. This document explains what to expect, how to cope with these losses, and where to go for help.
At the end as we now that the coronavirus is a very infectious disease and have many effects on the body, in the mental health, our attitude, beliefs, value, and also in our religion and spirituality, we have to support each other and prevent this virus together as much as we can by staying at home, at the last, stay home, stay safe, stay alive.
