Global Call to Reduce the Stigma of Mental Illness and COVID-19 Worldwide.

Abstract

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread across every country and hit our world on a scale not seen since the end of World War II. This year marked the beginning of the third year of this COVID-19 pandemic, government responses to the crisis have varied across countries, leading to a range of severe consequences. WHO reports 15 M excess deaths worldwide in the first two years of the pandemic (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022); 8 M of these occurred in lowand middle-income countries, dispelling the myth that high-income countries have borne the brunt of excess mortality and refuting any justification for vaccine hoarding. One-third of humanity has yet to receive a single vaccine dose. The inequalities in health systems across the globe have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Stein, 2021). The pandemic has affected every aspect of life, including the relationship between stigma, mental illness, and COVID-19 infection. The global community must refocus resources to create and sustain healthy societies and build cultures of peace and justice (Branca et al., 2021; Snider and Flaherty, 2020). BOTH MENTAL ILLNESS AND COVID-19 LEAD TO STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER