Question

how does the effectiveness of the presentation affect the outcome on the issue of mental health of student and employee during covid 19

Answer 1

Impact on school and college going students

Globally, the pre-lockdown learning of children and adolescents predominantly involved one-to-one interaction with their mentors and peer groups. Unfortunately, the nationwide closures of schools and colleges have negatively impacted over 91% of the world's student population (^{Lee, 2020}). The home confinement of children and adolescents is associated with uncertainty and anxiety which is attributable to disruption in their education, physical activities and opportunities for socialization (^{Jiao et al., 2020}). Absence of structured setting of the school for a long duration result in disruption in routine, boredom and lack of innovative ideas for engaging in various academic and extracurricular activities. Some children have expressed lower levels of affect for not being able to play outdoors, not meeting friends and not engaging in the in-person school activities (^{Lee, 2020; Liu et al., 2020; Zhai and Du, 2020}). These children have become more clingy, attention seeking and more dependent on their parents due to the long term shift in their routine. It is presumed that children might resist going to school after the lockdown gets over and may face difficulty in establishing rapport with their mentors after the schools reopen. Consequently, the constraint of movement imposed on them can have a long term negative effect on their overall psychological wellbeing (^{Lee, 2020}).

A study found that older adolescents and youth are anxious regarding cancellation of examinations, exchange programs and academic events (^{Lee, 2020}). Current studies related to COVID-19 demonstrate that school shut downs in isolation prevent about 2-4% additional deaths which is quite less if compared to usage of other measures of social distancing. Moreover, they suggest to the policy makers that other less disrupting social distancing strategies should be followed by schools if social distancing is recommended for a long duration (^{Lee, 2020; Sahu, 2020; Viner et al., 2020a}). However, in current circumstances, it is controversial whether complete closure of school and colleges is warranted for a prolonged period.

It has been reported that panic buying in times of distress indicate an instinctual survival behaviour (^{Arafat et al., 2020}). In present pandemic era there has been a rise in the hoarding behaviour among the teenagers (^{Oosterhoff et al., 2020a}). It is also found that among youth social distancing is viewed primarily as a social responsibility and it is followed more sincerely if motivated by prosocial reasons to prevent others from getting sick (Oosterhoff et al., 2020a). Further, due to prolonged confinement at home children's increased use of internet and social media predisposes them to use internet compulsively, access objectionable content and also increases their vulnerability for getting bullied or abused (^{Cooper, 2020; UNICEF, 2020b}). Worst of all, during lockdown when schools, when legal and preventative services do not functioning fully, children are rarely in a position to report violence, abuse and harm if they themselves have abusive homes.

Employees

Isolation is a particular risk factor. Extended social isolation increases risk for the development of mental health issues and substance use disorders, which can exacerbate pre-existing conditions, and increase the risk of depression, poor sleep quality, impaired cognitive functioning, as well as suicidal thoughts or relapse. Isolation is a well-documented risk factor for suicide, and connectedness is one of the best protective factors that helps to increase people’s resilience and buffer them against their mental health crisis. Employers can expect that stress and mental health effects of COVID-19 may be prolonged or delayed. Each person will experience the stress and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic differently. Some may not show signs of or experience mental health distress for weeks or months. This means that employers should build both short- and long-term responses to these mental health considerations, and ensure mental health continues to be prioritized after the immediate return-to-the-workplace scenarios. Below are several factors for employers to consider regarding employee emotional and mental health when drafting overall plans for returning to work and full operations. Having employees know their employers are supporting them through these difficult times can make a significant difference for their mental and physical health. Buy-in and engagement from leadership, management, human resources, communications and employees themselves is critical for success.