Britain's Prince William and wife Kate Middleton have backed a mental health campaign to help people through the anxiety and stress associated with the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed 1,019 lives in the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge issued a statement alongside new mental health guidelines unveiled by Public Health England (PHE), which encourages people under the current stay-at-home lockdown conditions to control the spread of COVID-19 to keep in contact with family and friends by phone or social media and stick to a regular routine and sleeping pattern.
"The last few weeks have been anxious and unsettling for everyone," the royals said in a statement.
"We have to take time to support each other and find ways to look after our mental health. By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead," they said.
William, 37, the second in line to the British throne, and Kate, 38, have made mental health a particular focus of their work and in 2016 launched the Heads Together campaign aimed at ending the stigma around speaking out about such issues.
The new PHE guidelines, which were developed by mental health charities and have been clinically assured by the state-funded National Health Service (NHS), advise people to take up a new hobby, which it says will help combat low mood and anxiety during self-isolation.
The guidelines also include advice and support for those already living with mental illness and directs them towards accessing professional help.
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Maintaining physical wellbeing is important, too, the guidance adds, suggesting exercising at home, eating healthy meals, and avoiding smoking or drinking alcohol.
The PHE has said that NHS mental health providers are working to create 24/7 helplines to support those who might be struggling.
Mental health charities are also being given an extra 5 million pounds in funding by the government to help expand their services.
UK Mental Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who was one of the first government officials to be diagnosed with coronavirus and has since recovered after an extended period of self-isolation, spoke about feeling anxious and scared when she discovered she had the deadly virus.
"For those who already suffer with anxiety or other mental health issues this may present new and difficult challenges," she said.
I know how important it is that people have support to look after their mental health and this guidance will be of huge value, she added.
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