The Role of Psychological First Aid in the Pandemic Time

Abstract

The COVID 19 that WHO declared in March 2020 as pandemic has touched every realm of human existence causing immense stress and anxiety, more among those infected. WHO advised psychological first aid for coping with the fretful situation. This paper explores the incidence of COVID 19 pandemic as a traumatic event which has caused stress and anxiety in almost the entire world resulting in the need for psychological first aid to be provided to the affected individuals as well as the general population. It is argued that the Six Cs model for immediate cognitive Psychological First Aid that has been applied in unexpected traumatic situations can be used in case of patients affected by COVID 19. This novel Psychological First Aid model can help overcome helplessness where they are isolated from the rest of the world and encounter the fear of imminent death.