Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 07 Apr 2020, 01:22 am Print
Wellington/Xinhua: A range of support is being rolled out across New Zealand to help people look after their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Minister David Clark said on Tuesday.
"COVID-19 has brought a lot of uncertainty into our lives and many of us will be feeling some level of distress or worry about the future," Clark said in a statement.
"We want people to know that they are not alone, and many Kiwis will be feeling this way. This is completely normal and the messages in the campaign launched today tell us that it's okay not to feel all right, all of the time," Clark said.
One initiative launched on Tuesday was the "Getting through together" campaign which shares ways to help Kiwis cope with the stress left by COVID-19.
The campaign has been developed by "All Right?" which produced the world-leading disaster-recovery program following the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010, in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation.
Regarding the frontline health workers, Clark said many of the employers provide mental health support for their staff, and the government is looking at what additional support is needed for the health workforce.
Further supports via telephone and online resources are being finalized and will be announced this week, he added.
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