Will the Emergence of the More Highly Infective Mutant Strains of SARS‐Cov‐2 Impose a Greater Strain on Health Care Professionals in 2021?

Odeyale, Rashidat; Tulp, Orien; Einstein, George; Chance, Cheryl

Provision of responsible healthcare to patients by healthcare professionals (HCP) during the COVID‐19 pandemic has lead to the development of symptoms of stress, anxiety, fear, and other strong emotions that has predisposed HCP to significant potential for mental health diagnosis including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In a metanalysis, Mealer et al (2009) and others reported that how one copes with these emotions and stressful conditions may affect the quality of healthcare provided to others, and the well‐being of the people they care about both within and outside of their work environment. The recent emergence of more highly infective mutations of SARS‐CoV‐2 [COVID‐19], identified as SARS‐CoV‐2 VUI 202012/01 in the USA with a reportedly 50‐70% greater contagious potential than the novel strain has sparked great concern throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the USA, resulting in both International and Domestic travel limitations attempts to slow the continued spread of the coronavirus pandemic in attempts to contain the mutations, albeit it unsuccessful so far. PTSD and other mental health disorders may develop in individuals following exposure to a traumatic event or ongoing circumstances as has occurred among healthcare workers in the current pandemic as well as among returning combat veterans and disaster stricken regions and may be a precipitating cause of PTSD among HCPs and may contribute to their symptoms following prolonged exposure to their seemingly unending and highly stressful patient care responsibilities, and which symptoms may escape observation by others similarly affected in the treatment chain. The results of this metanalysis study indicate that according to Tang et al (2017), healthcare providers that were exposed to Avian Influenza virus (H7N9) patients were significantly prone (p=<0.05) to developing severe anxiety, PTSD stress and burnout symptoms, indicating a need for greater pre‐exposure training in traumatic illness stress management to better prepare them for early‐stage career management, particularly during the early stages of their careers. The recent emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 VUI 202012/01 and more recent variants, potentially 50% or more contagious strains of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus with as yet unknown risks for morbidity and mortality particularly among smokers may pose such a threat among the general population and the among the HCP who may be tasked for their healthcare, wellbeing, and all to often, palliative supportive care, despite the best efforts of epidemiologic surveillance and containment via application of conventional public health measures and available resources. References:1) Tang, L. et al. (2017). . Intl J Nur Sci, 4(1), 63‐67. 2) Lai, J., Ma, S. & Wang, Y. (2020) JAMA Network. 3) Lasalvia, A. et al. (2009). Br J Psych, 195(6), 537‐544. 4)Mealer, M. et al (2009). Depr Anx, 26(12), 1118‐1126. 5) Sampaio, F., Sequeira, C. & Teixeira, L. (2020). 6) J Occup Environ Med, 62(10), 783‐787. 7) “Psychological Costs of War: Military Combat and Mental Health”. Journalistsresource.org. 27 February 2012. Arch from the original 2 Feb 2014. Retiv 29 Jan 2014. 8) Covid‐19 Update: First Reported US Case of COVID‐19 – Medscape, – Dec 29, 2020.