Background: The World Health Organization declared the Corona Virus Disease 19 (Covid-19) a pandemic in March 2020. Psychological impact of Covid-19 can be consisent and should be prevented with adequate measures. Methods: We performed a literature mini review searching for studies in PubMed focusing on the psychological/psychiatric impact of Covid-19.Results: The selection process yielded 34 papers focusing on the relation between Covid-19 and mental health: 9 correspondence, 8 letters to the editor, 7 commentaries, 3 editorials, 4 original studies, 2 brief reports, and 1 a rapid review. The majority of the articles were performed in China. They focused on the general population and particular categories considered more fragile, e.g., psychiatric patients, older adults, international migrant workers, homeless people. Authors are unanimous in believing that Covid-19 will likely increase the risk of mental health problems and worsen existing psychiatric disorders/symptoms in patients, exposed subjects, and staff. Together with the negative emotionality related to the unpredictability of the situation, uncertainty concerning the risk, excessive fear, fear of death, loneliness, guilt, stigma, denial, anger, frustration, boredome, some symptoms might appear such as insomnia until patophobia (specifically, coronaphobia), depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal risk.Limitations: Literature is rapidly increasing and present results are only partial. Conclusions: Mental health care should not be overlooked in this moment. The experience of China should be of help for all the countries facing with Covid-19, among them Italy.
A rapid review of the use of face mask in preventing the spread of COVID-19