Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic, the number of individuals infected with the COVID‐19 has been increasing worldwide, posed a substantial threat to mental health. Therefore, discovering the means for blocking the transmission path of COVID‐19 and improving mental health is of great significance. Based on a survey on the life of urban and rural residents in China (in 2020), the study applied the least squares method to analyse the effect of closed‐off management on the psychological anxiety and psychological stress caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Furthermore, the bootstrap decomposition method was used to test for the mediating effects of satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention. The study found that closed‐off management in communities exerted a negative effect on psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Additionally, satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention played a mediating role on the psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Therefore, closed‐off management in communities will not only prevent the spread of the COVID‐19, but also improve satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention and control. Furthermore, it will alleviate the psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic.

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