THE BURDEN OF GEN-COVID
Social isolation, disrupted routines and restricted access to recreational activities have turned the worlds of children upside down. Schools across the country have remained shut ever since the global Covid pandemic struck India in March 2020, causing an unprecedented disturbance in the academic calendar. It has been 14 months of virtual classes, Zoom play dates and staying indoors. That it is having a profound impact on children’s health and psychosocial well-being is hardly surprising. This March, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said that globally one in every seven children, or 332 million, has lived under a lockdown for at least nine months, making them vulnerable to mental health issues. Indian children are no exception.
The closing of schools has resulted in forced home confinement, alienation from peers, educational disruptions and excessive digital exposure for many children. In addition, many have witnessed the death of family members, even of parents, financial crisis and an overall environment of stress and despair. “Because of isolation and a restricted environment, emotional dysregulation is increasing among students,” says Dr Shailaja Pokhriyal, Gurgaon-based clinical psychologist and family therapist. “There is a lot of restlessness and anxiety over the uncertainties engulfing their own small worlds.”
Most children rely on schools as a place where they can interact with peers and seek support on issues that they may not be comfortable discussing with elders. According to psychologists, the
