Cómo afrontar la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) en las Américas: Recomendaciones y líneas de acción sobre salud mental

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic caused by Covid-19, a disease that affects both the physical and mental health of people infected with the virus, as well the health personnel who assist them. Given the limited availability of guides and recommendations prepared by psychological institutions at a continental level to face the effects on mental health, researchers from the Inter-American Society of Psychology (SIP) have created some recommendations on different psychological issues and problems relate to the disease and pandemic. To accomplish this this, a systematic review of the scientific literature on mental health issues caused by this type of pandemic was carried out. Based on the information recovered and analyzed from various scientific databases (PsycInfo, Scielo, Redalyc and Dialnet), documentary sources from national and international mental health organizations, consultation with experts in mental health and various scientific investigations, we have created the following guiding document for facing the emotional and psychosocial consequences of Covid-19. It is hoped that this contribution will be useful in guiding both laypeople and professional psychologists, and will become a tool to support decision-making in psychological organizations and public health government agencies of different countries of the Americas.