ZIMBABWE has been hit hard by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen which resulted in an increase in new infections and the number of deaths. NewsDay (ND) senior reporter Miriam Mangwaya recently caught up with clinical psychologist and global mental health specialist Tarisai Bere (TB) to discuss developments. ND: What is the current mental health situation in Zimbabwe given the effects of COVID-19? TB: People are reacting differently to different issues associated with COVID-19. A lot of people are afraid of contracting the virus and of dying. This is due to lots of news about people dying, including high-profile people. We are also seeing a continued rise in new infections at the back of a low recovery rate. However, it is not uncommon for people to react this way when any country is hit by a pandemic, especially considering that the virus has affected the whole world. The elderly are the most affected because they are continuously hearing that they are at high risk of succumbing to the virus. Those with underlying chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV and Aids among others, tend to be more distressed because it is believed that their chances of defeating the virus could be lower than that of the people who do not have these conditions. The young ones (children and adolescents) are worried and anxious about their future. They are also losing parents or guardians and they are left without breadwinners. That is difficult for them psychologically. More-so, not going to school brings about lots of uncertainty. Under such circumstances, it is common to see an increase in cases of alcohol and drug use among youths who would be trying to cope up with the difficult situation. Domestic violence issues are likely to be on the rise as husbands and wives are locked up in their homes during lockdown facing social and financial pressures. ND: As the number of new infections and deaths is rising, what then should be done to stop individual psychological torture? TB: First of all, I think we need to cut down the number of times we are looking for new information to do with the pandemic. By now, we have enough of the necessary information we need to protect ourselves from contacting the virus. People are spending a lot of time on the internet, looking for new information about COVID-19. Due to the rapid increase in citizen journalism, where anyone can publish, some of the information which is accessed by the public may not even be accurate. It is bound to cause unnecessary fears, panic and anxiety disorders among the public. Volumes of conspiracy theories on the vaccine, for instance, are being published through social media which might confuse the public, who were pinning their hopes on the vaccine. You are aware of a social media frenzy, some remedies and concoctions to cure the disease, some of which are harmful to the immune system. I would advise people to look for information from reliable sources such as the World Health Organisation, traditional media, Health and Child Care ministry and many other official