The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which began in Wuhan, China, has been called one of the world’s deadliest pandemics. Though the first case was recorded in December 2019, COVID-19 spread so quickly that it was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Within a short amount of time, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a spike in morbidity and mortality. The COVID-19 epidemic forced schools, colleges, and universities to close to prevent further illness, transmission, and spread. The physical closure of schools, colleges, and universities has had a variety of effects on students, with some reporting anxiety, despair, and mood swings. COVID-19 has disturbed student social interactions and has had an impact on their family lives. Students’ academic performance and growth will be affected as a result of these effects. As a result, educational institutions should take steps to assist students in recovering from the effects of COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health issue that initially surfaced in December 2019 (WHO, 2020). COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related respiratory tract infection that originated in Wuhan, China (Mudenda, 2020; Phiri et al., 2020). Colleges and institutions were closed to avoid the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus due to its rapid spread and increasing morbidity and mortality. The physical closure of colleges and universities encourages social isolation and staying at home, yet it has had a variety of consequences for students. COVID-19 has had an impact on mental health, academic achievement, individual and family economy, academic development, family life, and social networks, to name a few (Cao et al., 2020; Zhai & Du, 2020).
As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese students showed mild, moderate, and severe worry (Cao et al., 2020).COVID-19 can exacerbate pre-existing mental health disorders, owing to school closures, disruptions in inhabit, and a lack of social ties (Young Minds, 2020). Because mental health is strongly linked to academic success, these effects may have an impact on students’ academic performance. As a result, schools and universities should hire mental health professionals to assist students in recovering from COVID-19’s mental health effects.
Due to COVID-19, learners’ academic performance is projected to deteriorate (Sintema, 2020). In India, students are expected to perform poorly in final tests because their learning has been harmed and there is a significant gap between the teachings that students are taught and their final examinations(Gupta & Goplani, 2020). To address this issue, online learning was introduced, although it is unclear if it will be beneficial for lectures that require face-to-face interaction, laboratory examinations, or practical practise (Sahu, 2020). Furthermore, certain students whose internet access is limited or who have problems with internet connectivity are 2 / 2 Mudenda et al. severely disadvantaged, which harms their grade point average (GPA) (Alruwais et al., 2018). Some pupils stated that they do not have access to computers or other electronic devices for online study (Sahu, 2020). According to one research, college and university students are concerned about the evacuation of their dorms and the postponement of planned events such as exchange studies and graduation ceremonies (Lee, 2020).
COVID-19 has an impact on students’ social and family lives. The majority of kids have reported obtaining improved social support from their families and friends as a result of COVID-19 (Zhang et al., 2020). However, a minority of youngsters reported receiving less social support from their relatives and friends, which may have an impact on their academic performance. On March 20, 2020, all schools, colleges, and universities were closed. It is critical that educational institutions assess the effects of COVID-19 on students and explore remedial methods (Cao et al. 2020).
As a result, we believe that colleges and universities should provide adequate psychological counseling to help students recover from COVID-19’s impacts. Additionally, schools and institutions should consider uploading information on coping with COVID-19 to their online platforms so that students can access it.
Finally, schools, colleges, and institutions should implement certain ways to assist their students in dealing with the effects of COVID-19. Students should adjust to online learning and participate in activities that will benefit their mental health.
Advice and Recommendations for the Public ( Students, Teachers, and other Employees)
Your risk of infection is low if you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading, have not traveled from an area where COVID-19 is spreading, or have not come into contact with an infected patient. It is critical to be aware of the situation and to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family.
If you live in a region where COVID-19 cases have been reported, you should be concerned about the potential of infection. Follow WHO recommendations as well as national and local health authority guidance. COVID-19 infection causes minor disease in most individuals, but it can make some people very sick, and in some cases, it can be fatal. Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, or diabetes) are more likely to develop severe disease.
Definition of contact
A contact is someone who was exposed to any of the following during the two days leading up to and 14 days following the development of symptoms in a suspected or confirmed case:
1. Within 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes, face-to-face contact with a potential or confirmed case;
2. Direct physical contact with a possible or confirmed case;
3. Direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease without wearing suitable PPE1
4. Other conditions as determined by local risk assessments.
Note that the period of contact for confirmed asymptomatic cases is measured from 2 days before to 14 days after the sample was taken which led to confirmation.
Definition of COVID-19 death
For monitoring purposes, a COVID-19 death is defined as a death in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case caused by a clinically compatible illness, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be linked to COVID disease (e.g. trauma). Between disease and death, there should be no time for total recovery.