The prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after COVID-۱۹ Pandemic

Dear Editor, On March ۱۱, ۲۰۲۰, the World Health Organization identified the coronavirus ۲۰۱۹ as SARS-CoV-۲ and a worldwide pandemic. COVID is a common human-animal virus known as bats that can be transmitted to humans through droplets floating in the air and aerosols. The COVID-۱۹ pandemic has created a set of psychological, physical, and social problems associated with COVID-۱۹ in many people around the world. If these problems are not addressed, the psychological consequences of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic in the general population may persist for a long time and become a global medical crisis. Studies also show that coping with COVID-۱۹ does not end with vaccination and screening. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-۱۹ syndrome is defined as a disease with stable symptoms in people who have defeated the coronavirus ۲۰۱۹ after a while. The type of persistent symptoms, their prevalence, duration, and severity after recovery of COVID-۱۹, as well as their risk factors, are still under investigation. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychological disorders that may occur after experiencing very threatening events such as accidents, natural disasters, pandemics, deaths of others, and other stressful events. Symptoms of PTSD include disturbing thoughts or memories of events, anxiety, restlessness, trying to avoid stimuli related to the traumatic event, changes in thinking and feeling, and increased reactions to war or flight. These symptoms persist for more than a month after the traumatic event. Studies have shown a ۱۷-۴۴% prevalence of PTSD among survivors of acute illness.