**4. Conclusion**

The short- and long-term mental health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are far-reaching for clinicians and the significant persons or survivors, especially among those at risk of new or exacerbated psychological illness and those facing barriers to accessing care.

Although the global community is in the vaccination phase against COVID-19, however, many people are refusing to be vaccinated due to fear or uncertainty, and the need for vaccinated people to continue taking existing precautions to mitigate the outbreak. Thereby compounding the psychological and mental health distress of the pandemic. It may also result in an increase in alcohol consumption, drug dependency and abuse, deaths due to suicide, and despair. It is, therefore, important for policymakers to continue to discuss further actions to alleviate the burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic.
