Health Check Podcast: Maintaining mental well-being during Covid-19

A medical worker explaining the swab test procedure to a foreign worker with Covid-19 symptoms at the on-site medical facility in Avery Lodge dormitory on 15 May 2020. Swabber, swab assistant and site supervisor positions are among the 1,500 openings that need to be filled amid the pandemic. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Health Check Ep 37: Maintaining mental well-being during Covid-19

10:07 mins

Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times. As the Covid-19 pandemic rages on, healthcare workers have been roped in to help out at foreign worker dormitories as the testing of thousands of migrant workers for the coronavirus disease continues.

ST senior correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Michael Yong, senior consultant and head of psychiatry at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital about his experiences at a dorm and the change in the migrant workers' mood that he has witnessed. He shares his own family experiences too, coping during the circuit breaker period.

Dr Yong, who's also the group director for psychological medicine at the National University Health System, then goes on to discuss the mental health challenges that the pandemic brings and what you can do about it.

Need help?

- National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868

- Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222

-Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444

- Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6385-3714

- Agency for Integrated Care Hotline (for the elderly): 1800-650-6060

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg) and Ernest Luis

Edited by: Adam Azlee

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