Prevention and control strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders during the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019

ABSTRACT

The National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China has classified coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) as category B infectious disease and taken preventive and control measures of category A infectious diseases. COVID-19 is highly contagious and all age groups are vulnerable. Therefore, medical institutions should strengthen preventive and control measures during COVID-19 epidemic to refrain from nosocomial infection. Other factors, such as mental status disturbances caused by psychological stress during COVID-19 outbreak, high population density of closed ward and poor behavioral control of psychiatric patients, may hinder the preventive and control measures of COVID-19. We propose the preventive and control strategy of psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 epidemic to provide reference for various psychiatric institutions.