Psychological counseling provided to students amid latest COVID-19 outbreak

A medical worker takes a swab sample from a resident for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, March 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

JINAN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Laixi City, administered by the port city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province, launched its first online psychological consultation lesson earlier this month, following reports of a new cluster of local infections in the city amid its latest COVID-19 resurgence.

As in-person classes have been suspended, local schools have organized a wide range of psychological counseling activities including class discussions and online courses, in order to help students properly respond to their reactions and carry out psychological adjustment and self-learning.

By the end of March 20, Laixi had logged 859 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 944 asymptomatic cases during the latest outbreak. Over 60,000 primary, middle and high school students in the city have begun live online classes to curb the spread of the virus.

"Facing the sudden virus resurgence, I was a little nervous at first. But our teachers held psychological counseling lessons, helping me manage my emotions better and take care of myself," said Zhao Yixin, a pupil at the city's Zhuhe Primary School.

By offering heart-to-heart talks, online guidance and other forms of psychological counseling, the city was able to learn about the current mental health of nearly 20,000 students undertaking stay-at-home study. Public welfare organizations have also joined the work to protect the mental health of minors amid the impact of the pandemic.

In addition to professional mental health guidance and assistance provided by social organizations, the local government has compiled a series of psychological self-care manuals for students. Video classes recorded by top psychologists are updated on a regular basis, offering needed mental health adjustment skills.

Laixi City has also set up hotlines for local students and their parents, as well as teaching staff, through which they can obtain immediate mental health support around the clock.

Special task forces have been dispatched by the city's education authorities to equip students in quarantine with online learning facilities, and four psychology teachers have been stationed at quarantine sites to provide mental health care, according to Zhao Qiaoyun, deputy director of the city's education and sports bureau.

Psychology teacher Cheng Honghong has been working at a quarantine site for a few days. She has facilitated online questionnaires for minors at the site and designed various activities to cheer up students who are upset.

She spends more time with the younger children, listening to their thoughts and chatting with them to calm them down and help them break free from anxiety.

The teachers have also come up with special morning call services to give students positive psychological suggestions to start the day. At the end of each day in quarantine, they play soft music to help students get a restful night of sleep or lead them in relaxing exercises.

Online singing and painting contests are also held regularly to ensure those in quarantine feel they are accompanied by their teachers and classmates during these hard times. "All of this is meant to enrich their quarantine life," Cheng said.

"After online courses, the teachers guide us to do some physical exercises. We can also contact our school teachers, classmates and parents on the phone at any time to tell them our troubles and relieve our worries," said Gao Cairong, a local student in her last year of middle school education who is currently in quarantine.

Liu Fangting, a teacher who is herself in quarantine at the site, said that though teaching schedules have been suspended, teachers are helping students at quarantine sites write diaries and conduct physical exercise every day.

Currently, 14 cities in Shandong have launched online learning with psychological counseling and housework courses on a special curriculum amid the latest outbreak, local authorities said during a press conference on Monday.

Parents have also been urged by the provincial education department to pay more attention to the emotional and psychological changes in their children during the period.

With in-person classes halted, local authorities have guided schools to pair teaching staff with vulnerable student groups, including children of frontline medical workers and children who do not live with their parents, providing precise psychological counseling and support.