Pandemic fatigue

By Kang Seo-yeon

Kang Seo-yeon

It's been almost a year since the COVID-19 pandemic struck countries worldwide, pushing many economies into recession, discouraging people from traveling abroad and drastically changing numerous aspects of our lives. But the pandemic didn't simply affect the external aspects of our lives. It has also affected our emotions and mental state.

Pandemic fatigue has affected many people, with many experiencing stress as a result of the immense change in lifestyle.

When coronavirus cases surged suddenly last February in Korea, people had to adjust to a new way of life. Students like myself, who were scheduled to go back to school in March as the new semester began, had to take online classes at home.

In my case, I was stressed out and constantly felt tired in the beginning because I was unfamiliar with online learning quickly adopted as a result of COVID-19. One of the toughest things to adjust to was the lack of separation between my place to study and my place to relax. On top of that, a sudden increase in time spent at home also meant that the number of chances to meet friends and relieve stress with outdoor activities was drastically reduced, cutting out yet another factor that brought pleasure to my life.

The pandemic created a buzzword ― “coronavirus blues.” It refers to feelings of depression, fear, and overall loss of hope people are experiencing as the pandemic is showing no signs of ending any time soon.

According to the 2020 Health Investment Awareness Survey by the Korea Health Promotion Institute, women are more vulnerable to such anxiety than men, with over 50 percent of women stating that they had experienced the corona-related depression. Women between the ages of 19 and 44 who sought medical help to cope with mood-related disorders have increased by 21.6 percent, compared to last year, according to a paper titled “Changes in Health Care Use Due to COVID-19” conducted by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Studies showed that women were oftentimes more affected by COVID-19 because of the pressure of increased childcare and household chores and financial troubles resulting from job losses.

Thankfully, there are some actions that can be taken to stop the coronavirus blues from further affecting our lives. To find out whether or not you have coronavirus blues, there are many self-check tests available on the internet that measure different levels of depression. If levels of depression are high, trying to maintain a regular routine, even at home, can help you to bring back some control over your life. Talking with friends or family through calls or video chats can also lighten up your mood, as a lack of social activity can be one reason for increased stress, while taking a walk in a nearby park can help you relax and connect with nature.

I hope that the coronavirus pandemic will soon come to an end. I look forward to the day we can finally take off our masks and meet others in person without worrying about infection.

The writer (

seoyeonk09@gmail.com

) is a first-year high school student.