COVID-19: Stigma, discrimination, and the blame game

摘要

The COVID-19 pandemic has social, psychological, mental health consequences and manifestations that require adequate attention from governments and policymakers. As pointed out by Hurley and Agrest (2020) in a recent publication of the International Journal of Mental Health, learning from the Argentinian experience, it is important to recognize stigma and discrimination as an important component affecting the mental health and wellbeing of the population. Hurley and Agrest argue that a process of deinstitutionalization can also take place as collectives and clusters of people may be considered as incubators for the spread of the virus. Thus, they argue and advocate for a strong community mental health program and highlight the need for more funding and resources to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic (Hurley & Agrest, 2020).