Social Stigma Worsens Condition of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
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March 17, 2020 | 11:50 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The recent coronavirus outbreak has caused a sense of social stigma, blaming positive COVID-19 patients as culprits, to develop among the people.
According to one of the corona patients who had been declared cured and appeared publicly, social stigma has disrupted the psychological health of patients during the treatment period.
"Don't judge with various negative stigmas because patients will be victimized twice. During my isolation in the first week, I kept crying because I knew how the community would react to me," she said at a press conference held at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital on Monday, March 16, 2020.
The corona recovered patient also had her identity revealed and all information about her was sought.
"Our data that was publicly revealed has caused panic in the outside community, and in the end many sent messages to me via Instagram and WA," she said.
In order to ensure that social stigma will not happen again, thereby maintaining the mental health of patients in the hospital, she asked the people to be morally supportive.
"Positive support can build our psychology while undergoing treatment," she explained.
SARAH ERVINA DARA SIYAHAILATUA | DIO SUHENDA (INTERN TRANSLATOR)
