stop discrimination for all health care workers, respect and support our frontliners .

stop discrimination for all health care workers, respect and support our frontliners .
As the number of cases grows, so does the number of healthcare providers involved in managing the COVID-19 crisis. Frontline healthcare providers, as key players in combating the crisis, face challenges such as stigma and discrimination at work and in their surroundings (World Health Organization, 2020a). Increasing cases and mortality during the outbreak place frontline healthcare providers under extreme stress due to a variety of factors such as social isolation, stigma, and discrimination, and puts them at a higher risk of psychological problems. The psychological problems, in turn, may alter their attention and decision-making ability, which can have an impact not only on their mental health but also on how they manage the ongoing crisis. As a result, stigma, discrimination, and social isolation must be eradicated from society. However, in the current situation, these healthcare providers have suffered from societal disapproval. Several frontline healthcare providers working in hospitals and laboratories face discrimination from hotel staff and struggle to find food and shelter. Furthermore, people, including some healthcare workers, involved in non-COVID responses have shown discrimination towards frontline healthcare providers through behaviors such as refusing to speak to them and expressing disapproval to eat in the same cafeterias. Furthermore, anyone involved in providing healthcare in a setting with a high number of COVID-19 cases is considered untouchable. Unfortunately, healthcare providers are being labeled, separated, and face loss of status and discrimination as a result of the stigma associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, while COVID-19 has a variety of effects on the general population's mental health, healthcare providers are also dealing with mental health issues. In conclusion, emphasis on providing comprehensive support to the frontline healthcare providers both from the administrators and the society are required to create an enabling environment to improve the mental health of the patients, recovered patients, and the frontline healthcare providers during the COVID-19 crisis.