Authors

• . Nisha Gathiya
• . Santosh Kumar

Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

Negative psychological outcomes have been consistently associated with quarantine measure and
lockdown. This article tries to look at the psychological implications of quarantine and lockdown
and then touches upon how social aspects lead to psychological effects unaddressed for various
communities of the people surviving in vulnerable conditions. The objective of this study was to
review the psychosocial implication of quarantine and lockdown among Indian community who
are facing a double burden of mental and economic crisis. Databases for relevant studies were
searched in PubMed and Google Scholar with key term “quarantine,” “mental health,” “lockdown,” and
“psychosocial.” Few newspaper reports related to quarantine and psychosocial implication have also
incorporated. Home and facility quarantine were imposed on people in order to control and check the
spread of this infectious disease. This strict imposition not just led to various other counter effects that
were negative in nature, but it is predicted to have long‑lasting social, economic, and psychological
effects too. As social diversities lead to varied mental health adversities, a broader umbrella needs
to be created in order to protect every community dealing with mental health issues due to the
pandemic. In order to address the mental issues of the vulnerable classes, the issue still remains
untouched, and this leaves us with a question of are we doing enough for each individual. A team of
clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, and sociologist come forward to combat this mental health impact
of COVID‑19 outbreaks and make this quarantine tolerable for the public with appropriate solutions.

Keywords

• COVID‑19
• quarantine
• lockdown
• psychological
• psychosocial
• vulnerable