A novel coronavirus infection outbreak of pneumonia is threatening, and a nationwide prevention and control of the epidemic is ongoing. In this battle against the epidemic, a Nankai team dedicated to mental health during the epidemic period is taking action.

This team with more than 40 members is composed by Nankai University’s Student Mental Health Guidance Center, Department of Social Psychology, Zhou Enlai School of Government, and Nankai University’s Hospital. They provide psychological guidance on wechat for medical staff, professionals and the public on the first line of fighting against the epidemic as well as students and teachers of Nankai University.

More than 200 people joined in the wechat group “Nankai University’s Psychological Guidance during the Epidemic” in just two days after setting up. The team insists on the working schedule of 4 people on duty with 14 hours work every day. They work 7 days a week and provide online services for 196 hours a week in total. Their careful service shows excellent effect and is highly praised by people who need help.

At the same time, in order to ensure the scientific and professional services, the team also set up a steering group to provide case supervision and timely help consultants to solve the problems encountered in the consultation.

Figure: The wechat group is fulfilled just within a short period of time. 

The way of entering the group is thus changed.

Because of the epidemic, the team takes 0-risk way of providing service by wechat. This has accumulated experience for the construction of professional service mode under special circumstances. At the same time, the team cooperates with relevant organizations and institutions to build a psychological support system for epidemic prevention and jointly promote mental health.

In the future, the psychological-service team of Nankai will adopt flexible working mechanism according to the progress of the prevention and control of the epidemic, and online consultation and discussion will be carried out as needed. At the same time, the team will coordinate with schools and colleges according to the deployment of the university, so as to prepare for the return of students and teachers with related psychological services.

 (Translated by Yuchen Shi, Edited by Davide Francolino and JianjingYun)