Music as medicine during the sars-COV-2 (COVID-19) quarantine: spreading art not fear

Abstract

In December 2019, in Wuhan (Hubei, China), a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus could be identified (SARS-CoV-2). The need of home isolation to avoid getting the infection and to avoid its spread, have been associated with fear and other psychological consequences in population of affected countries. Music has demonstrated its positive complementary effect in management and improvement of anxiety, depression, pain and other clinical and social situations associated with negative effects in well-being and quality of life. To date, there are no clinical trials that examine directly the relation between music interventions and improvement of negative emotions for people in quarantine but based on previous research we know that it could be employed as an innocuous and safe complementary intervention to help people to alleviate these feelings. Since the pandemic was declared, musicians have taken different instruments and have even used their own voice to play live music from their balconies or even in the street, showing their solidarity and attempts to encourage their neighbors and other people nearby not to give up against COVID-19.