The COVID-19 pandemic affected not only physical health but also mental well-being, with a global increase in the prevalence of stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, irritability, sadness, and future fear. Moreover, the public's psychological responses during a pandemic can influence the course of disease transmission, the severity, the occurrence of stress and social disorders, and repercussions. 

A web-based survey to measure the frequency of anxiety, depression, and the emotional cognition scale, as well as to investigate their interrelationships and demographic determinants among Egyptians. From May to August 2020. An analytical cross-sectional study targeted 666 Egyptians from four major physiographical regions. The study employed a validated self-administered questionnaire that consisted of four sections.

The overall frequency of anxiety was 66.6%. Significant relationships were found between anxiety (GAD ≥5) and factors such as sex, age, marital status, and employment status, with higher rates in females (74.3%), individuals under 35 (71.4%), unmarried participants (70.3%), and the unemployed/students (74.9%). Depression prevalence was 88.2%, with significant associations (P < 0.05) to similar demographic factors, particularly higher rates among females (91.1%) and those under 35(92.3%). The mean total score for the Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) was 44.2 (SD 7.5). Items ranked by mean scores were happiness, love, fear, sadness, and anger. Significant relationships were observed between ECS scores and variables such as sex, marital status, and education level, with higher scores in women (46.1), younger individuals (44.5), and the unemployed/students (45.5).

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than eighty per cent of Egyptians were depressed, and more than sixty per cent were anxious. The highest mean (SD) of the ECS in descending order were happiness items, love items, fear items, sadness items and anger items. Depression, anxiety, and SCS have many significant demographic determinants.