Angst voor COVID-19: Risico’s en voordelen

Fear is an adaptive emotion that motivates safety behaviors to protect oneself in the presence of danger. However, fear that is out of proportion to the actual threat, or that lasts too long, can lead to negative consequences. Also in the context of the coronavirus disease-19 (covid-19) pandemic, fear is an important motivator for safety behaviors, such as hygienic behaviors (e.g., hand washing), social distancing and willingness to vaccinate. However, fear of covid-19 is also associated with mental health problems, ‘panic shopping’, xenophobia, social inequality, and persistent safety behavior. In this article, we briefly review the recent literature on these positive and negative consequences of fear for covid-19 and make recommendations for policymakers to effectively manage fear and unrest during future pandemics.