By The SUN
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| PTSD symptoms could include frequent hand disinfection or constant worrying about the Covid situation |
At least one in ten people in Hong Kong suffer from post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of the coronavirus pandemic, according
to a study released by the
PolyU researchers contacted 3,011 residents by random between December 2020 and February 2021, the onset of the fourth wave of the pandemic, and found that around 12.4 percent of the respondents had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
They warned the number could be much higher after the fifth wave of infections, when the number of cases surged to tens of thousands, and around 300 patients were dying each day in hospitals.
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The PTSD symptoms included constant worrying about the Covid situation or getting irritable or angry, and denying that the coronavirus was for real.
One of the researchers said checking on the number of infections or deaths could be considered as normal, but if people allow this concern to seep into their work or studies, then it could affect their daily lives.
Also, the more time people spent watching news about the Covid outbreak, the more severe their symptoms, said the researcher.
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Another manifestation of the anxiety disorder is when people start disinfecting their hands so frequently that their skin hurt.
The researchers said the problem is linked to social distancing measures. When these are tightened, people who are afflicted start worrying more, thinking that the situation must be very serious, and so they should avoid going out.
Anyone who shows PTSD symptoms such as behavioral changes is encouraged to seek help from professionals.
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| At today's press briefing, health officials reported 251 new infections and 2 deaths |
The report came as health officials reported 251 new Covid infections, 28 of which were imported.
The new cases included a ninth patient linked to the spread of a new Omicron strain in McDonalds in Tai Koo Shing, and a sixth student at St Catherine’s International Kindergarten.
Two new Covid-related deaths were also reported, ending four days of no new fatality. Both of the deceased men, aged 90 and 78, suffered from underlying illnesses such as a heart failure or stroke.
Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection said the latest patient in the McDonald’s cluster was a 66-year-old woman who tested positive on a rapid antigen test on May 17 but reported the result only yesterday.
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The kindergarten student, on the other hand, was in a different class from the six pupils and one teacher who were previously found infected.
However, Au said the latest patient may have used the same facilities as the previous cases.
