Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 16) — As the government continues to implement coronavirus restrictions, the isolation may also trigger mental health problems for children, a health expert said Friday.
“Kapag ang children are not exposed to a social setting, there might be some episodes of anxiety na makikita. May iba rin nagkakaroon ng depression,” Psychiatrist Dr. Bernadette Arcena-Manalo said in a virtual briefing.
[Translation: When children are not exposed to a social setting, there might be some episodes of anxiety. Others also develop depression.]
Lockdown rules have been barring children from going out amid the threat of COVID-19. The Department of Education has also been implementing distance learning, forcing students to be glued to their computer or television screens to pass their subjects.
But last week, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases announced children aged 5 and above can now go to parks, playgrounds, outdoor tourist sites, outdoor non-contact sports courts, and al fresco dining with their parents or guardians.
READ: Kids as young as 5 allowed to go out, IATF rules
Manalo said that it was a good decision from the government to restrict children from going out as they do not have a full grasp of the current health situation.
While allowing them to go out will have a positive impact on the mental health of children, the fear of contracting the virus remains, she said.
Manalo said family members must be attentive as the pandemic causes drastic negative effects on the mental health of every person.
