Effectively motivating social distancing—keeping a physical distance from others —has become a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country preregistered experiment (n=25,718 in 89 countries) tested hypotheses derived from self-determination theory concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of different motivational messages encouraging social distancing. Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions: an autonomy-supportive message promoting reflective choices, a controlling message that was restrictive and shaming, or no message. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses: the controlling message increased defiance relative to the autonomy-supportive message and increased controlled motivation (which itself correlated with more defiance and less long-term behavioural intentions to engage in social distancing) relative to no message, but messages did not influence behavioural intentions. Despite small experimental effects on defiance and motivation (rs= .07 and .10), this work highlights the potential harm of controlling public health messages and potential benefits of autonomy-supportive ones.

Background: The novel Corona virus (SARS COV-2) causes respiratory tract infection that has been labeled as Covid-19. It was declared a pandemic by WHO on 30th of January 2020. So far, COVID-19 has involved 218 countries and territories with 135,338,376 total cases and 2,929,315 total deaths. This virus causes severe respiratory distress syndrome and usually present with dry cough, fever, respiratory distress, and myalgia. Interestingly, patients have shown various nonspecific presentations and Anosmia is also a prominent nonspecific feature. Aim: To find out the overall progress, duration and recovery of Covid-19 related loss of smell (anosmia). Methods: This is a retrospective online study in which 45 patients were included. Data was collected by using ‘Google survey form’. Only those patients, who were confirmed cases of Covid-19 (diagnosed by PCR) and who lost their smell at least 3 month earlier, were included in this study. The Statistical analysis of collected data was then carried out by using SPSS software. Results: Out of 45 patients 17(37.8%) were male and 28(62.2%) were female (male to female ratio of 1:1.6). 71.2% of the respondents were up to 40years of age. 12(26.7%) patients were between 41 to 50 years, while only one patient (2.2%) was between 51 to 60 years. In 43 patients (95.6%) the anosmia was reversible. In two of our respondents (4.4%), the smell sensation didn’t return even after 3 months. Conclusion: The anosmia in Covid-19 is mostly reversible and in most of the patients its duration is less than 2 weeks. Keywords: Anosmia, Covid-19, SARS COV-2