COVID-19 vaccine can boost mental health, too

The COVID-19 vaccine is a turning point in what has become a mental health crisis. Manish Sapra, MD, executive director for behavioral health at Northwell Health, and Mayer Bellehsen, PhD, director for the center for traumatic stress, resilience and recovery, explain that the hope brought by the COVID vaccine enables all of us to begin the healing process - and why that is a process we will go through together.  "This has been a long, protracted course, and what the COVID vaccine does it sort of sets the clock where we start taking that identity of being in recovery rather than just being a victim. It just gives a level of optimism that we can actually take a big step against a disaster like this."   More from the experts Read Dr. Sapra's op-ed on community recovery from COVID-19 Listen to Dr. Bellehsen discuss stress management Watch 20-Minute Health Talk episodes on YouTube