Chongqing- As the epidemic continued widespread across Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, many COVID-19 cases were transferred to makeshift hospitals.

Often, COVID-19 patients accompany anxiety and depression, especially children and the elderly. In Chongqing Yuelai Makeshift Hospital, medical staffs improve patients' psychological conditions through professional techniques.

Chongqing Yuelai Makeshift Hospital serves as one of the makeshift hospitals in Chongqing to ease the shortage of beds with an increasing number of new local COVID-19 infections, with a designed capacity of 12,000 beds. 

Medical teams offer psychological help

On the evening of November 19, Deng Wuquan, director of the Division of Metabolism at Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, was on patrol in the N2 cabin of Yuelai Makeshift Hospital.

Deng found a mother clutching her child, looking anxious. The mother suffered severe emotional anxiety because she feared her child would not adapt to the cabin environment.

To help them out, Deng took out a pen and paper for the child to draw, trying to understand the child's psychological condition through the psychology of painting.

"The child drew a house, the people, and a tree, and the tree is very lush," said Deng.

He then concluded that the child's emotions remained stable with strong adaptability, stabilizing the mother's mood after listening to Deng's analysis.

Five hospitals in Chongqing sent their medical teams to Yuelai Makeshift Hospital. In light of different characteristics, medical units were equipped with mental and psychological professionals to advise psychological prescriptions for patients.

Family reunions relieve patients' anxiety

On November 18, a 10-month-old baby arrived in the N6 cabin, the youngest child in the makeshift hospital.

"Two days ago, the child's mother was diagnosed and treated in S1 cabin," said the child's father. "I would be happy to have her around and take care of our baby together."

After coordination, the child's mother was transferred to the N6 cabin the following day in a closed loop, and the family of three reunited.

On the night of November 15, Zhai Jian, the chief nurse of the Psychiatric department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, found a patient with anxiety in the S4 cabin. "She was walking around and making phone calls."

After the inquiry, the patient's child and mother were separated into different cabins due to different batches.

Zhai guides the patient to fully express emotions while he listens patiently and occasionally gives advice. After coordination, the patient, the child, and the child's grandmother reunited in the same cabin. "Family reunions will greatly relieve patients' anxiety," said Zhai.

A positive attitude is essential against the virus

At 4 am on November 17, Zhai found an old granny sitting on the edge of the bed, looking glazed. Zhai was worried about her physical condition. After being diagnosed, she found her eyes turned red.

Zhai found that these were symptoms of extreme physical exhaustion. She explained the principle of coronavirus in detail to the granny, tried to ease her concerns, and prescribed some sleep aid medicine. Her sleep quality soon improved, with her mood became stable.

"After communicating with patients, we targeted psychological counseling to help patients build confidence and adjust their mentality to overcome the virus," said Zhai. "Most patients in the makeshift hospital are mild and asymptomatic carriers, and a positive attitude is an essential weapon to fight against the COVID-19 virus."

According to the municipal health commission, Chongqing reported 231 new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,898 new local asymptomatic carriers on November 21.