Miedo experimentado por profesionales de salud en la pandemia por COVID-19 e implicaciones para la salud mental

Introduction: Health professionals in their daily activities experience stressful situations, which trigger fear, anxiety and mental fatigue due to the uncertainties caused by COVID-19, problems that negatively affect their professional and interpersonal lives. Objective: To reflect on the fear manifested by health workers in the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for mental health. Methods: This is a reflective theoretical study based on national and international scientific evidence published since 2019, based on the notification of the first case of infection by the new coronavirus. The search was possible through the descriptors: "Health Personnel", "Coronavirus Infections" and "Fear". Results: Fear is manifested in the face of doubts and uncertainties about the virus, in addition to the concerns related to family members and co-workers. In relation to the work institution, lack of inputs and inadequate working conditions corroborate the insecurity of the health professional. In addition, it also includes the economic crisis that professionals may be experiencing and uncertainties about the future. Therefore, intervention measures to mitigate the psychological implications for the worker's mental health become relevant, being aimed at improving the work environment and education. Conclusions: The fear manifested in the workers comes from uncertainty and the lack of knowledge about the virus, the fear of contracting or transmitting it to family members and the inadequate working conditions, generate stress, anxiety, insecurity and psycho-emotional exhaustion.