Coronaphobia has been coined by researchers to describe anxiety-related symptoms linked to the fear of Covid-19. Particularly, a set of distinct physiological (e.g., discomfort) and psychological symptoms (e.g. depression, generalized anxiety, hopelessness and suicidal ideation) appear to be triggered by thoughts or information about this infectious disease. Especially concerning are reports of alleged cases of suicides related to Coronaphobia, which suggests the emergence of death anxiety (i.e., fear of death).
The current study further supports the role of Coronaphobia as a contributing factor to the psychological distress experienced during the Covid-19 crisis. Similarly, neuroticism (i.e., the tendency to experience negative emotions) and health anxiety (i.e., the tendency to worry about health and having a serious illness) are also vulnerability factors that may negatively affect individuals during a pandemic crisis. High health anxiety may lead to excessive reassurance-seeking behaviors, such as looking for symptoms of infection.
Reference:
Lee, S. A., Jobe, M. C., Mathis, A. A., & Gibbons, J. A. (2020). Incremental validity of coronaphobia: Coronavirus anxiety explains depression, generalized anxiety, and death anxiety. Journal of anxiety disorders, 74, 102268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102268