Masks Off: What Is Pandemic Fatigue And What Experts Advise To Tackle This

Leniency has crept in due to the prolonged regime of restrictions, and people can now be seen violating with impunity the Covid norms made for their very own safety. This behaviour has been defined as pandemic fatigue.

Pandemic Fatigue | Representational Image: Getty

New Delhi: It has been more than two years since the world was hit by Covid-19. From lockdowns, social distancing and other restrictions to symptomatic treatments, vaccinations and then boosters, people have seen and done everything they could to battle the pandemic that continues to keep the world under its iron grip.       

Nearly 6 million people, officially, have lost their lives to Covid-19 in these two years, leaving many orphaned and devastated. Many who contracted the virus and recovered continue to complain of health issues as Long Covid is a reality. And then, there is a mental health crisis that the pandemic has brought upon the world.

Healthcare providers and authorities across the globe have insisted that though Covid cases have come down and the world is opening up, some basic norms and protocols, such as social distancing and masks, must continue. However, leniency has crept in due to the prolonged regime of restrictions, and people can now be seen violating with impunity the Covid norms made for their very own safety, by not wearing masks or maintaining proper social distancing. 

This behaviour has been defined as pandemic fatigue, and it is said to be a manifestation of mental health issues.

What is Pandemic Fatigue?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pandemic fatigue can be understood as a natural response to a prolonged public health crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Pandemic fatigue is understood…as demotivation to follow recommended protective behaviours, emerging gradually over time and affected by a number of emotions, experiences and perceptions,” defines WHO.

Speaking to ABP Live, Dr. Nand Kumar, Secretary, AIIMS Psychiatry Department, New Delhi, said pandemic fatigue can be explained in a biological manner as well as a psychosocial manner.

Explaining the biological aspect, Kumar said: “If the human brain is exposed to a certain stimulus for a very long time, the brain cells get fatigued.”

In the case of Covid-19, these stimuli are the continuous requirement of social distancing, staying home, and wearing masks.

“The biological and psychosocial aspects are interlinked because if one is exposed to a particular kind of pain repeatedly it leads to fatigue,” Kumar explained.

Pandemic Fatigue In India

According to Dr. Nand Kumar, pandemic fatigue in India is mainly due to inconsistent guidelines that “did not have any rationale” at many times in the past two years.

The first set of guidelines said that the mask was necessary for only the infected individuals, then it was made mandatory for everyone, and later it was made mandatory for the individuals even at home. 

This inconsistency led to mental fatigue as it did not make sense, Kumar said. “I can only adhere to a rule if I find a rationale.” 

Dr. Soumitra Pathare, Director of Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy, Pune, agreed.

He said people should have been prepared for the long haul. The policymakers and political leaders should have informed people about the situation honestly.

“If you tell people that a situation will last only for a few weeks, and it ends up extending for two years, people feel cheated and start feeling that you are extending rules without any rationale or logic,” Pathare said, while speaking to ABP Live.

It is largely a communication issue at first, he said, explaining how rules kept changing in the last two years as they were implemented, then withdrawn and then reimposed. 

“If rules are to be made, there needs to be consistent logic in them and that needs to be communicated consistently with people,” Pathare said, adding that a blanket rule cannot be made for everyone as it comes down to people’s livelihoods in the end.

Mental Health Problem Caused By Pandemic Fatigue

Dr. Kumar said fear induced in people during the first Covid wave led them away from each other as they were afraid of catching the infection. The administration was even putting posters on doors of infected families, which ultimately ended in isolation, he recalled. 

This behaviour led to “fatigue of isolation”, he explained. “Humans are social animals and we connect through social bonding. And the prevalence of such situations has caused isolation fatigue in people. And that is the reason Covid-19 has affected mental health so much.”

Kumar emphasised that mental health is different from mental illnesses. Mental illness refers to syndromal illness specifically, like depression and schizophrenia. However, mental health refers to how one person behaves in general and cannot be classified with a particular symptom.

How Can The Impact Be Lessened?

According to Kumar, any kind of human behaviour is developed over years, and two years are not enough to change that. 

He said though the solution highly depends upon socio-democratic settings, the key to resolving the issues related to pandemic fatigue is going back to a “normal situation” and having fewer restrictions. He said the restrictions implemented should have a “strong scientific explanation”.

Kumar stressed that there should be consistent and practical information and rules, including where to wear a mask, what kind of mask, and which sanitiser to use. He said if these things are accomplished we can be better prepared for in the event of any future virus or any new variant.

Dr. Kumar also explained how these problems can be dealt with. He said there should be consistent and practical information. He added that the concept of social support needs to be introduced.

Citing an example, he said people need to be told that they should wear a mask to support their family and friends. The messaging needs to go out that it is for their own better with a practical approach, he said.