Written and sent on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council:
The COVID-19 pandemic harmed the mental health of people of all ages in North East Lincolnshire with vulnerable youngsters, elderly or poorly people, carers and those experiencing domestic violence amongst the worst affected.
This is the stark finding of the annual Director of Public Health Report published in North East Lincolnshire along with a series of recommendations to support people to get back on track.
Tight restrictions, including the national lockdowns where people were instructed to stay at home, prevented hundreds more deaths from the virus and helped the NHS avoid becoming overwhelmed and unable to offer lifesaving treatment. However, according to the report by Deputy Director of Public Health in North East Lincolnshire, Geoff Barnes, many people are experiencing repercussions from being unable to do the things that bring them joy and can mitigate the impact of poor mental health. Even though we are now ‘living with covid’ many people are continuing to experience considerable anxiety about returning to their usual activities and this is leading to poor mental health as well as increased alcohol use which can also bring health problems.
