Around 8.5 million adults and 1.5 million children in England will need mental health support during pandemic
In light of World Mental Health Day last Saturday (10 October), Cigna Europe has launched a global initiative which is encouraging employees to ‘check in' with at least two people to show support during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a recent report from the Centre For Mental Health, which consulted NHS experts, around 8.5 million adults and 1.5 million children in England will need mental health in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, as people face mass redundancies, lost loved ones and the psychological fall-out of social distancing measures.
As part of the initiative, Cigna is calling upon its own 24,000 employees to use the #MyCignaCheckIn throughout this week.
This follows figures released as part of Cigna's COVID-19 Global Impact Study which shows that almost half (46%) of Brits feel that they lack companionship, and, worryingly, 55% feel that no one really knows them well.
Almost a third (31%) don't feel that they have people they can talk to, and over a quarter (29%) don't feel there are people they can turn to. Over half (56%) of Brits think that Covid-19 will not go away and will be a seasonal disease.
The global research engaged more than 20,000 people across 11 key markets between January and August.
Arjan Toor, CEO, Cigna Europe, said: "We understand that COVID-19 has deeply impacted people's health and well-being as we continue to navigate our way through uncertain times. As the pandemic continues to evolve the way we work and impact our daily lives, it is important that we remember to check in with our colleagues and loved ones, to see how they are coping during such challenging times.
"Taking some time out of your day to check in on a colleague or an old friend can really make a difference. This week and beyond, we are encouraging our colleagues around the world to pledge a small act of kindness and check in with at least two people, with the hope that we can not only support each other, but also uplift each other across our community."
