Be Prepared for a Mental Illness "Pandemic" in China: Too Early to Celebrate the Victory Over COVID-19

[...]lessons from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 had taught us that the pandemic could have profound and potentially long-term impacts on mental health. 1 The deleterious consequences of COVID-19 might be even worse than those caused by SARS in 17 y ago due to the new problems that China is currently facing after the outbreak. 2 Additionally, nationwide fears rise over a second coronavirus wave in China. All these factors could exacerbate the adverse effects of COVID-19 on mental health. Because mental health interventions have not been integrated into emergency response plans, we urge policy-makers in China to approach the mental illness “pandemic” ahead of time through the following steps, including psychological aid (A), medication stockpile (S), substance abuse prevention (P), and financial relief (R) (ASPR). Operational planning guidelines are urgently needed, which contain ethical principles, screening protocols, and types of intervention to various groups. Because China has a severe shortage of psychiatrists (1.49 psychiatrists/100,000 population), 3 trained medical students can provide psychological first aid to the public.