write a short informative speech on how to avoid covid 19

To avert the all too common enactment of requirements without regard for their local cost and tax impact, however, the commission recommends that statewide interest should be clearly identified on any proposed mandates, and that the state should partially reimburse local government for some state imposed mandates and fully for those involving employee compensations, working conditions and pensions.

The writer of this sentence is working hard, but not hard enough. The writer suffers from what psychologist Steven Pinker calls the “curse of knowledge.” He has forgotten what he did not know. And now the writer knows so much, he makes the mistake of thinking the reader can keep up.

So how would you slow down the pace of “Curb State Mandates”? Here is my best try.

The State of New York often passes laws telling local governments what to do. These laws have a name. They are called “state mandates.” On many occasions, these laws improve life for everyone in the state. But they come with a cost. Too often, the state doesn’t consider the cost to local governments, or how much money taxpayers will have to shell out. So we have an idea. The state should pay back local governments for some of these so-called mandates.

The differences in these passages are worth measuring. The original writer gives us one sentence. I give the reader eight. The original writer gives us 58 words, while I deliver 81 words in about the same amount of space, including 59 one-syllable words. My words and sentences are shorter. The passage is clearer.

To the point, the pace of my version is slower.

Since it’s easier to read, why wouldn’t I say the pace is faster? In a sense, yes, it feels faster because the path is smoother. But a sentence is a sentence. There is a period at the end. The Brits call the period a “full stop,” and that’s what it is, a stop sign.

The pace of longer sentences — well-written ones, anyway — has to be fast because we are speeding along, reaching for the period that completes the thought. A series of shorter sentences — with lots of stop signs — offers a slower pace, where readers are more able to grasp a piece of information and then use that piece to get ready for the next sentence.

This is so important I want to repeat it: Too often, the reader gets sprayed with long complicated sentences and just can’t keep up. Think of the period as a stop sign. The more stop signs, the slower the pace, which is good if you are trying to make something clear.

Now let’s see how this might apply to coverage of the current public health crisis. I found this brief description from CNN.

The coronavirus is actually not one type of virus. It is a large family of viruses that also includes SARS and other minor to major respiratory illnesses. Coronaviruses can be spread between animals and people, as we have seen with this current strain. The term “corona,” which is from a Latin root meaning crown or ring of light, refers to the shape of the virus under a microscope.

This feels like the right pace to help readers learn. No need to resort to Dick and Jane sentences in this passage. Let’s count the number of words in each sentence: 9-18-16-25. The pace is fairly easy, and the variation of sentence length gives the reader an agreeable rhythm.

That said: Consider the effect of slowing down the pace even more:

The coronavirus is actually not one type of virus. It is a large family of viruses. That family includes SARS and other minor to major respiratory illnesses, ones that affect your breathing. Coronaviruses can be spread between animals and people. That’s what happened with this current strain. The term “corona” comes from a Latin root meaning crown or ring of light. It refers to the shape of the virus under the microscope.

You can decide if that’s clearer. The word count is 9-7-16-8-7-14-11. I have revised four sentences into seven. Maybe defining what “respiratory” means may be a step too far. Reading the two passages again, I believe that mine is a little more comprehensible. There is still a variety in length, but with a slower pace. That slower pace is created by those seven periods — seven stop signs.

Here is a list of other reporting and writing strategies designed to create comprehensible prose, summarized in a dozen more tips.

2. You may wind up with thousands of readers, but begin in your head with one.

When you are ready to sit at the keyboard and write, you may already know too much. Steven Pinker calls that “the curse of knowledge.” In other words, you forget that just a while ago you were a curious learner. Don’t write down to the audience, but imagine how you would begin to explain your topic to a single person in a congenial telephone chat. (I used to say, “How you would explain it to that person sitting next to you on a barstool,” but that violates social distancing!)

3. Create the illusion of conversation.

Writers talk about wanting to achieve an authentic voice. But in most cases, no writer is speaking aloud. The text is coming off the page or screen. But you can create the illusion of someone speaking to another. The most powerful tool for achieving this is addressing the reader directly as “you.”

This has become absolutely clear in coverage of the pandemic: You cannot overuse the question and answer format. I am seeing Q&As across media platforms, with questions coming from journalists but also other members of the public. A question from a civilian has a way of getting experts to explain things in the language of the common person, at an easy pace. If the pace of information comes too quickly, the questioner can interrupt to slow the expert down.

4. Either avoid jargon – or translate it.

All of us are multilingual, which is to say that we belong to lots of different language clubs. My grandfather was Italian. My grandmother was Jewish. I have a degree in English literature. I play in a rock band. I coached girls soccer. Each of those experiences has taught me to communicate in a different dialect.

When I report on a technical subject, I have to learn a specialized language. But readers are out of the loop and will not understand jargon, unless I teach it to them.

This pandemic generates countless technical terms. They are coming at us so quickly, we often let them fly by us as news consumers. For example, before I wrote this essay I could not tell you the difference between the phrase “coronavirus” and “COVID-19.” Hmm, why were some reporters and specialists using one of those terms rather than the other? In a CNN glossary of related terms , we get this:

“COVID-19 is the specific illness related to the current epidemic. The acronym, provided by the World Health Organization, stands for ‘coronavirus disease 2019,’ referring to the year the virus was first detected. The name of the virus is SARS-CoV-2.”

5. Use as few numbers as will get the job done.

I learned this from Wall Street Journal writer and editor Bill Blundell. “My goal,” he told me, “is to write a WSJ story without a single number. If I can’t do that, then it is to write a story with only ONE really important number.”

Never clot a bunch of numbers in a single paragraph; or worse, three paragraphs. Readers don’t learn that way.

There are lots of confusing numbers coming from government officials and scientists. By reputation, journalists are more literate than we are numerate. When you are using numbers in a story, it is wise to triple check. And have a reliable source with whom you can test your accuracy.

6. Lift the heavy cargo out of the text and put it in a chart or graphic.

I learned this from the world’s best news designer, Mario Garcia. One way to handle numbers — or other technical information — is to deliver it in a visual way. Some things, like travel directions, are difficult to deliver in a text. A map may be better. But remember this: Just because it exists in a graphic does not mean it will be easy to understand. Test it out.

One of the key phrases to come out of the pandemic story is the idea of “flattening the curve.” That phrase is everywhere — and it is crucial. Do you know what it means? I think I do, but I’m not sure I could explain it to my readers. I am a journalist, not a math teacher.

“Flattening the curve,” along with the word “exponential,” are math terms, far beyond the comprehension of the average reader. The most ambitious project to explain this has been undertaken by The Washington Post. Using animated graphics, the Post illustrated four different outcomes on the spread of the virus , based on the severity of the actions we might take to prevent it. With four different versions of the “curve.”

7. Reveal how the reader can use the information.

Imagine a story where a city is applying for a grant to build a plant to recycle sewage water. “They are going to do what?” asked the city editor. “Will we be drinking piss in this town?” The reporter set him straight: “No, Mike, you don’t drink it. But you can water your lawn with it. And firefighters can put out fires with it. And it will save taxpayers a lot of money, especially during droughts.”

Think of all the ways in which people across the globe are being asked to change the essential patterns of their lives over an extended period of time. They need news they can use.

8. Only quote people who can make things clearer than you can.

A common piece of writing advice is to “Get a good quote high in the story.” The key word there is not “high,” but “good.” If you are working on a tough story — something like the coronavirus — you will be interviewing experts, so be careful.

Experts have a way of showing off their expertise by using jargon. You don’t have to be impolite: “Can ya give it to me in plain English, Doc?” But you can repeat questions such as “How would that work?” “Can you give me another example?” “Can you please repeat that? I want to make sure I’ve got it right.”

I have a feeling that a few figures will emerge as special heroes in the months ahead for their capacity to translate technical language for the public good. I find myself paying special attention to Dr. Anthony Fauci, a medical expert working for the National Institutes of Health. His voice is hoarse and failing, but sobering, clarifying and sometimes comforting messages are coming out loud and clear.

9. Look for opportunities to tell stories — even in miniature.

Reports deliver information to readers. Stories create experiences. We have a word that describes a miniaturized story. It’s called an anecdote. You can tell one in a paragraph, maybe even in just a couple of sentences. “They banged on a garbage can in the dugout so the hitter knew he was getting a curveball.” You can experience that, even though I delivered it in a few words.

I asked my wife the other day how many rolls of toilet paper we had in the house. She guessed 20. I did a search and found 52, none of them purchased in a panic. “It’s just BOGO,” she said. That’s a tiny story from my own experience delivered during a global hoarding of toilet paper.

10. One human is more memorable than tons of data.

I saw a photograph of a young woman trying to visit her grandfather at an assisted living facility. Because of his vulnerability to the coronavirus, they could not be in physical contact. She could not visit him or take care of him. But they could both put their hands on either side of a sliding glass door, that glass a microcosm of the agony of our social separation.

11. Reveal secrets.

People grasp information more aggressively if they believe they are receiving secret knowledge. Sadly, this leads to the generation of misinformation and conspiracy theories. To neutralize such poison, journalists must investigate the secrets of those in power and share them as watchdogs of the public. The word “secret” in a headline is too often used as clickbait. But journalists must work to make strange things family, and there is so much secret knowledge in something like a pandemic that it will take years to expose.

12. Read your draft aloud.

I have taught these lessons to businesses, nonprofits, labor unions and governmental agencies — places, to quote one client “Where language goes to die.” I asked one editor, “Is there a reason why that paragraph has to be 417 words long?” That absence of white space created a dense, impenetrable block of type. Read it aloud, I suggested, and you will be able to hear the natural breaks.

Bonus: 13. Think of subjects and verbs as conjoined twins.

The clearest sentences almost always keep subject and verb together near the beginning. When subjects and verbs in the main clause are separated, all kinds of mischief can occur.

Your job as writers covering the coronavirus is not just to dump data. Your job is to take responsibility for what readers know and understand in the public interest.

You’ve got a lot of work to do, and so far, I think of you as champions of public health and understanding. Thank you, journalists, for your service.

This article was originally published on March 20, 2020.

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Original research article, awareness and preparedness of covid-19 outbreak among healthcare workers and other residents of south-west saudi arabia: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was declared a “pandemic” by the World Health Organization (WHO) in early March 2020. Globally, extraordinary measures are being adopted to combat the formidable spread of the ongoing outbreak. Under such conditions, people's adherence to preventive measures is greatly affected by their awareness of the disease.

Aim: This study was aimed to assess the level of awareness and preparedness to fight against COVID-19 among the healthcare workers (HCWs) and other residents of the South-West Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-developed structured questionnaire that was randomly distributed online among HCWs and other residents (age ≥ 12 years) of South-West Saudi Arabia for feedback. The collected data were analyzed using Stata 15 statistical software.

Results: Among 1,000 participants, 36.7% were HCWs, 53.9% were female, and 44.1% were aged ≥ 30 years. Majority of respondents showed awareness of COVID-19 (98.7%) as a deadly, contagious, and life-threatening disease (99.6%) that is transmitted through human-to-human contact (97.7%). They were familiar with the associated symptoms and common causes of COVID-19. Health organizations were chosen as the most reliable source of information by majority of the participants (89.6%). Hand hygiene (92.7%) and social distancing (92.3%) were the most common preventive measures taken by respondents that were followed by avoiding traveling (86.9%) to an infected area or country and wearing face masks (86.5%). Significant proportions of HCWs ( P < 0.05) and more educated participants ( P < 0.05) showed considerable knowledge of the disease, and all respondents displayed good preparedness for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Age, gender, and area were non-significant predictors of COVID-19 awareness.

Conclusion: As the global threat of COVID-19 continues to emerge, it is critical to improve the awareness and preparedness of the targeted community members, especially the less educated ones. Educational interventions are urgently needed to reach the targeted residents beyond borders and further measures are warranted. The outcome of this study highlighted a growing need for the adoption of innovative local strategies to improve awareness in general population related to COVID-19 and its preventative practices in order to meet its elimination goals.

Introduction

An ongoing outbreak of infection by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), termed as COVID-19, aroused the attention of the entire world. The first infected case of coronavirus was reported on December 31, 2019, in Wuhan, China; within few weeks, infections spread across China and to other countries around the world ( 1 ). On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, which was the 6th declaration of its kind in WHO history ( 2 , 3 ). Surprisingly, during the first week of March 2020, devastating numbers of new cases were reported globally, and the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a “pandemic” on March 11 ( 4 , 5 ). The outbreak has now spread to more than 200 countries, areas, or territories beyond China ( 6 ). SARS-CoV-2 is a novel strain of the coronavirus family that has not been previously identified in humans ( 7 ). The disease spreads through person-to-person contact, and the posed potential public health threat is very high. Estimates indicated that COVID-19 could cost the world more than $10 trillion, although considerable uncertainty exists concerning the reach of the virus and the efficacy of the policy response ( 8 ).

The scientists still have limited information about COVID-19, and as a result, the complete clinical picture of COVID-19 is not fully understood yet. Based on currently available information, COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease and its primary clinical symptoms include fever, dry cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, myalgia and dyspnea ( 9 – 11 ). This coronavirus spreads primarily through respiratory droplets of >5–10 μm in diameter, discharge from the mouth or nose, when an infected person coughs or sneezes ( 12 , 13 ). Reported illnesses range from very mild (including asymptomatic) to severe including illness resulting to death. However, the information so far suggested the symptoms as mild in almost 80% of the patients with lower death rates. People with co-morbidities, including diabetes and hypertension, who are treated with the drugs such as thiazolidinediones, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) have an increased expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2). Since, SARS-CoV-2 binds to their target cells through ACE-2, it was suggested that patients with cardiac disease, hypertension, and diabetes are at the higher risk of developing severe to fatal COVID-19 ( 14 , 15 ). Moreover, elderly people (≥65 years), those and people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, who are immunocompromised (due to cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplant, AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids or other medications), and those people with severe obesity and chronic liver or kidney disease are at higher risk of developing the COVID-19 severe illness ( 16 – 18 ).

Although, no specific vaccine or treatment is approved for COVID-19, yet several treatment regimens prescribed under different conditions are reported to control the severity and mortality rates up to some extent with few adverse effects, though further evidence is needed ( 19 ). Recently, results of ongoing trials aiming at drug repurposing for the disease have been reported, and several drugs have shown encouraging activity as far as reducing the viral load or the duration of therapy is concerned. Remdesivir is one such antiviral drug, and it has reduced the duration of therapy to 11 days in comparison to 15 days in the case of patients receiving standard care only. Therefore, the USFDA has granted the emergency use authorization (EUA) to Remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases ( 20 , 21 ); however, further investigations are required to collect the sufficient data ( 22 ). Favipiravir (Avigan) is another drug that has exhibited promising activity in significantly reducing the viral load in comparison to standard care in several trials ( 23 ). Apart from antiviral drugs, convalescent plasma for COVID-19 (as passive antibody therapy) has also been tested, proving to be of possible benefit in severely ill COVID-19 patients. However, it requires more clinical trials to be established for the optimal conditions of COVID-19 and as antibody therapy in this disease ( 24 – 26 ). Mono, and Sarilumab which are immunosuppressants and are humanized antibodies against the interleukin-6 receptor, were also tested on severely ill patients of COVID-19. They effectively improved the clinical symptoms and suppressed the worsening of acute COVID-19 patients and reduced the mortality rate ( 27 , 28 ). Very recently, a corticosteroid, Dexamethasone, has been reported to be a life-saving drug that reduced the incidences of deaths by one-third among patients critically ill with COVID-19 ( 29 ) requiring oxygen support.

So far, more than 9 million confirmed cases of COVID- 19 infections have been identified globally with more than 0.46 million confirmed deaths (as on June 21, 2020). Saudi Arabia has also been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and reported its first confirmed case on March 3, 2020. The numbers are continuously increasing and reached 157,612 on June 21, 2020, with 1,267 confirmed deaths all over the kingdom ( 30 , 31 ) having reproduction number from 2.87 to 4.9 ( 32 ). Before the emergence of COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was the major concern in 2012 ( 33 ), though it was successfully controlled in Saudi Arabia. In response to the growing public health threat posed by COVID-19, the Saudi government adopted some unprecedented measures related to awareness and prevention in order to control COVID-19 transmission in the country. These measures included the closure of schools, universities, public transportation, and all public places as well as the isolation and care for infected and suspected cases ( 34 ). On March 9, 2020, government authorities announced the lockdown of the whole country and released advice for Saudi nationals and residents present inside or outside of country to stay at home and maintain social distancing. Moreover, the Saudi government decided to suspend congregational prayers across all mosques in the kingdom, including the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah ( 35 ).

The fight against COVID-19 continues globally, and to guarantee success, people's adherence to preventive measures is essential. It is mostly affected by their awareness and preparedness toward COVID-19. Knowledge and attitudes toward infectious diseases are often associated with the level of panic among the population, which could further complicate the measures taken to prevent the spread of the disease. As “natural hazards are inevitable; the disaster is not,” ( 36 ) to facilitate the management of the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia, there is an urgent need to understand the public's awareness and preparedness for COVID-19 during this challenging time. The present study assessed the awareness and preparedness toward COVID-19 among South Western Saudi residents during the early rapid rise of the COVID-19 outbreak. It included HCWs (doctors, nurses, and community pharmacists) and other members of the community, including the employed, unemployed, as well as students.

Subjects and Methods

Setting and population.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March 18 and March 25—the week immediately after the announcement of lockdown in Saudi Arabia. For this study, two highly populated regions (Jazan and Aseer) of South-West Saudi Arabia and adjacent rural villages were selected. All Saudi citizens and residents, males and females of age 12 years or more (including HCWs and other community peoples), who were willing to participate in the study irrespective of COVID-19 infection status were included in the study. People who did not meet the above inclusion criteria were not eligible and were thus excluded from the study.

Sample Size

The required sample size for this study was calculated using a Denial equation ( 37 ) where the significance level (alpha) was set to 0.05 and power (1-β) was set to 0.80. It resulted in a required final sample size of 384 individuals. Therefore, to minimize the errors, the sample size taken for this study was 1,000.

Outcome Measures

The present study examined the level of awareness and preparedness toward prevention of COVID-19 using area, gender, age, education level, and occupation as explanatory variables among the residents (HCWs and other community peoples) of South-West Saudi Arabia.

Since this is a novel coronavirus with no such study having been conducted before, a standardized (structured, pre-coded, and validated) questionnaire was developed for this study by our co-authors, and it is based on frequently asked questions (FAQ) found on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and WHO official websites ( 38 , 39 ). The questions were multiple choice and sought to gain insight into the respondent's awareness and preparedness toward COVID-19. A pilot survey of 10 individuals was undertaken first to ensure that the questions elicited appropriate response and there were no problems with the entry of answers into the database. Since, it was not feasible to conduct a community-based national sampling survey during this critical period; we decided to collect the data online through a Google survey. The self-reported questionnaire is divided into three sections. The first part is designed to obtain background information, including demographic characteristics (nationality, age, gender, level of educational, and occupation). The second part of the survey consists of questions that address awareness concerning COVID-19 (reliable source of information, symptoms, mode of transmission, incubation period, complications, high-risk population, treatment, and preventive measures). The third part of the survey consists of questions that address the preparedness to fight against COVID-19. The questionnaire is designed in English, being subsequently translated into Arabic for the convenience and ease of understanding of the participants, and it was pre-tested to ensure that it maintained its original meaning.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data were collected using a random sampling method and analyzed using the statistical software Stata 15. For categorical variables, data were presented as frequencies and percentages. A chi-squared (χ 2 ) test was used to examine the association between each item in awareness and explanatory variable in the bivariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was computed using each item in awareness and preparedness as an outcome separately to examine the relationships in the adjusted analysis. Differences were considered to be statistically significant at P ≤ 0.05.

Ethical Approval

The study protocol and procedures of informed consent were granted ethical approval by the “Institutional Research Review and Ethics Committee (IRREC), College of Pharmacy, Jazan University” before the formal survey was conducted. Since this study was conducted during the lockdown period, a Google survey was prepared with an online informed consent form on the first page. Participants are informed about the contents of the questionnaire, and they have to answer a yes/no question to confirm their willingness to participate voluntarily. In case of minors (participants below 16 years of age), they are asked to show the form to their parents/guardians before selecting their answer. The patients/participants or their legal guardians have to provide their written informed consent to participate in this study. After an affirmative response of the question, the participant is directed to complete the self-report questionnaire. All responses are anonymous.

Demographic Characteristics

Respondents' demographic descriptions are summarized in Table 1 . A total of 1,000 participants completed the survey questionnaire, the split being 46.1% male and 53.9% female. The majority of participants are from Jazan region (74.8%) compared to 25.2% from Aseer province. More than half (55.9%) of the participants are of <30 years of age, and 44.1% are aged ≥ 30 years. Around 79.5% respondents are university graduates holding a bachelor's degree or higher, whereas 20.5% of participants possess educational qualifications of secondary school or lower (non-graduates). HCWs make up 36.7% of participants, and 63.3% of participants are classified as other.

Table 1 . Socio-demographic characteristics of participants.

Knowledge of COVID-19 Disease and Personal Protection Measures

Table 2 displays respondents' knowledge about COVID-19, reliable sources of information, modes of transmission, symptoms of infection and complications, its perceived threat, and high-risk population. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one option from the choices given according to their understanding and conscience. The results indicated that majority of respondents had heard of and were aware of COVID-19 disease. Most of the participants (97.7%) correctly identified human-to-human transmission (contaminated person with virus) as the primary mode of transmission. Furthermore, fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing were stated as the most common COVID-19 symptoms by 89.8, 83.9, and 90.9% of respondents, respectively. The frequently reported complications of COVID-19 were pneumonia (79.4%), kidney failure (22.8%), and death (54.9%) by the respondents.

Table 2 . Awareness about COVID-19, its symptoms, transmission, and complications.

Participants' knowledge of personal protection against COVID-19 is summarized in Table 3 . The majority of respondents (76.4%) believe that there is no treatment available for COVID-19 to date, 47.1% report supportive care, and 45.8% state personal safety as the only treatment option. The most common personal protection practices adopted by participants are washing hands (92.7%), social distancing (92.3%), using a face mask (86.5%), and avoiding travel to infected areas or countries (86.9%). However, importantly, 63.8% participants believe in avoiding raw and under-cooked animal products, 16.2% choose to avoid purchasing products made in China, and 1.7% have knowledge of proper prevention methods. Approximately, half of the respondents (42.4%) report that they seek more information on COVID-19.

Table 3 . Awareness about personal protection and preparedness against COVID-19.

Preparedness to Fight Against COVID-19

Results of participants' preparedness against COVID-19 are summarized in Table 3 . Over one-third of participants are well-prepared and adopt various methods for the current situation. The majority of participants stat that they avoid crowded places, mass gatherings, or traveling to suspected areas (95.1%), and 82.7% wear face masks when going outside and have increased the use of hand sanitizers and home cleaning materials. Many of them (76.8%) now spend 20 seconds washing their hands using soap multiple times a day. However, it could be assumed from the survey that a considerable percentage of the participants do not find the protective measures necessary, visit crowded places, and do not wear face masks when leaving home.

On the other hand, HCWs also reported their preparedness on different areas to fight against COVID-19 ( Figure 1 ). All 367 (100%) HCWs who participated in this study say that they checked adequate supplies of goggles, masks, and gowns on hand for emergencies, 99.7% say they prepared links or are in contact with External Resource Centers for COVID-19 such as the CDC or WHO, 98% evaluated the patient care equipment, including portable ventilators (preparation and patient handling checklists), and 83.4% checked and prepared alternative suppliers list of certain personal protective equipment etc. Surprisingly, 18.3% of the respondents are unaware of any preparation, and 4.5% do not find it necessary.

Figure 1 . HCWs preparedness to fight against COVID 19. P1, Check adequate supplies of goggles, masks, and gowns on hand for emergencies. P2, Links to or contact External Resource Centers for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) (CDC, WHO etc.). P3, Check patient care equipment, including portable ventilators. P4, Recommendations for infection control to help biomedical and clinical engineers. P5, Check alternative suppliers of certain personal protective equipment. P6, Prepared the list to supply chain professionals. P7, Do not need any preparation. P8, I don't know.

Bivariate Analysis

The comparison between educational groups and occupational groups (HCWs vs. other residents) demonstrated significant differences in the level of knowledge and preventive measures for COVID-19 disease ( Tables 4 , 5 ). The survey shows educated participants (bachelors or more) and HCWs were more aware about COVID-19 symptoms ( P ≤ 0.001), incubation period ( P ≤ 0.001), complications ( P ≤ 0.001), high-risk populations ( P ≤ 0.01), and available treatment ( P ≤ 0.05) compared to less-educated (≤high school) ones and other residents (non HCWs). Jazan area participants heard about ( P ≤ 0.002), and showed more awareness regarding COVID-19 symptoms (fever: P ≤ 0.001), and available treatment (supportive care: P ≤ 0.001) as compared to the Aseer region. There were no significant differences found in knowledge level between gender (male vs. female) and age groups.

Table 4 . Awareness of COVID-19 stratified by occupation groups among the study participants ( n = 1,000).

Table 5 . Awareness of COVID-19 stratified by educational groups among the study participants ( n = 1,000).

Significant differences were observed in awareness about protective measures between educational groups and occupational groups ( Tables 4 , 5 ). The survey shows that the educated participants (Bachelors or more) and HCWs consider the use of face masks, frequent washing of hands, social distancing, and avoid traveling to an infected area or country as preventive measures, more so than their counter group ( P < 0.05). However, gender, age, and area comparisons on these measures were non-significant. Moreover, the survey exhibited no significant differences regarding preparedness to fight against COVID-19 level between areas, age, gender, and educational and occupational groups.

Multivariable Logistic Regressions

It was found that HCWs were more likely to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms (fever: OR = 2.15, P = 0.008; cough: OR = 1.66, P = 0.018 etc.), complications (pneumonia: OR = 2.37, P = 0.001; kidney failure: OR = 1.54, P = 0.013 etc.), populations at high risk, available treatment, and preventive measures compared to the other community members who were non-HCWs. On the other hand, less-educated participants (≤secondary schooling) were more likely to have knowledge about COVID-19 symptoms (fever: OR = 4.24, P = 0.014; breathing difficulty: OR = 2.94, P = 0.043 etc.), high-risk population (OR = 3.29, P = 0.001), complications, and preventive measures (social distancing: OR = 2.08, P = 0.008; avoid traveling to infected area or country: OR = 2.01, P = 0.002 etc.) compared to the higher-educated participants, as shown in Tables 6 , 7 . Tables displayed outcomes with statistically significant association only with explanatory variable. Area (Jazan vs. Aseer), gender (male vs. female), and age group (age <30 years vs. ≥30 years) were not associated significantly with COVID-19 knowledge. Surprisingly, no difference was reported for preparedness to fight against COVID-19 among participants.

Table 6 . Multivariable logistic regression on factors significantly associated with awareness toward COVID-19.

Table 7 . Multivariable logistic regression analysis on factors significantly associated with preventive measures toward COVID-19.

As the outbreak of COVID-19 is expanding exponentially, spreading beyond borders and spreading across continents, it has been classified as a “pandemic.” It created havoc and dismay among all nations. This new viral infection is successful in inducing restlessness, confusion, and fear among the people. The uniqueness of this infection is that it shows little or no symptoms in the beginning, and many do not even know they are infected. It does not induce any severe change or indication in the infected person so that he can seek medical attention at an early stage. By the time infected persons realize that they are infected, they might have spread the disease to a large number of people without their knowledge and any ulterior motives. Therefore, the first and foremost strategy to win the battle over COVID-19 shall be stopping the spread of disease effectively among the people. Hence, the main focus of this research was to assess the awareness of people, particularly among HCWs as well as other residents, about the disease, how they prepared themselves to fight against it, and whether they are participating in the eradication of the infection or not. We are aware that COVID-19 had taken the nation by surprise when they were least prepared to face the pandemic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind, conducted in Saudi Arabia that is assessing the awareness and preparedness toward COVID-19 among HCWs and other residents.

Our survey of HCWs and other residents of the study region was well-received. People of different educational backgrounds and employments participated in the survey. The majority of them are graduates, followed by people who had education up to high school. Similarly, among different employment backgrounds, HCWs make up more than one-third of the sample size. In the first place, HCWs and graduates should be aware of the disease profile, so that they can quickly spread the message among their family members, their neighbors, and all those who are within their contact. Analysis of the study results showed that both HCWs and the graduates possess adequate knowledge about the infection. It was a significant finding of our study that they can not only protect themselves against the disease but also help others to stay away from the infection by creating awareness for it. As the results suggested, health organizations (89.6%) and healthcare professionals (57.9%) are able to communicate effectively to the participants in convincing and making them understand the patterns and phases of the infection. This study also revealed that some people showed little trust in social media and other sources of communications such as television, newspaper, posters, etc. They were not convinced or accepting of the facts disseminated to them initially. It is probably for this reason that few people showed reluctance in following the guidelines given through these channels and kept ignoring them. This lack of acceptance might have accelerated the spread of this disease among the public.

Our study revealed that HCWs and people with a higher educational background (graduation or more) were more aware of the symptoms and the complications of COVID-19. It is spread via human-to-human transmission through droplet, feco-oral, and direct contact and has an incubation period of 2–14 days ( 13 ). The majority of the participants (97.7%) mentioned human-to-human contact as the primary cause of COVID-19 transmission. They were aware that the infection is related to the respiratory system, and there could be some difficulties in breathing with high temperatures accompanied by dry cough. Furthermore, it might lead to pneumonia, organ failure, and death. Indeed, COVID-19 induces these symptoms after the log period ( 40 ), although in some cases. Also, HCWs keenly follow the situation in the regions and the countries regarding the number of cases of infected and fresh cases reported daily. It perhaps helps them in getting prepared physically to manage the situation by acquiring the important things that are required in combating the disease, and it might also help them to get prepared mentally. They were aware of the social distancing, hand hygiene, using face masks, and avoiding traveling. These are the desired activities, which are expected to be practiced strictly in order to stop the spread of the disease ( 41 – 44 ). Our study revealed that HCWs and educated residents were following it meticulously. It was also known to them that no specific and effective treatment is available for COVID-19 to date, and whatever therapy is available at the designated centers is non-specific and treats only symptoms. They are sufficient enough to relieve the symptoms of the infection, to overcome difficulties in breathing, and to boost the immunity of the individuals. A similar level of awareness was reported in recent studies in China ( 10 ) and the UAE ( 45 ). This may be attributed to continuous practice of raising awareness about COVID-19 in communities about health issues by healthcare organizations and Saudi health extension workers, which has been effectively implemented in recent days ( 46 ).

Previously, MERS-CoV was a major global concern after it was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia ( 33 ). Many awareness studies reported different levels of knowledge about MERS disease among Saudi HCWs and residents after the MERS outbreak ( 47 – 49 ). Present findings showed that the awareness regarding COVID-19 disease was higher compared to MERS. This can be ascribed to the global reach of COVID-19, as it is more serious than MERS owing to its high rate of transmission, alarming number of cases, and the continued global death count.

As far as preparedness to fight against COVID-19 is concerned, our study showed that all the participants were aware of avoiding mass gathering, avoiding traveling to suspected areas, the use of face masks and hand sanitizers, and maintaining proper food hygiene. During the lockdown period, the majority of the people who participated in our study stockpiled sufficient food items, and the frequency of going out to buy groceries and other food items can thus be avoided. According to them, a large number of people at supermarkets do not practice appropriate social distancing, and chances of contracting the infection might increase. This is genuinely desirable and precautionary in a situation like COVID-19, as coming closer to or violating social distancing is risky. Perhaps this preparedness is a reflection of steps taken by government authorities, as Saudi Arabia can control the spread of COVID-19 in South-West region. When the whole world is struggling to control COVID-19 spreading, Saudi Arabia has reported 1,155 positive cases (as of June 21, 2020) in Jazan and Aseer region (313 and 842, respectively) among 157,612 positive cases the entire country ( 50 ).

Also, our study confirmed that nearly half of the participants were ready to visit the hospital immediately if needed. The WHO recommends that identification of the infected individual is the first and essential step required in combating COVID-19. It also advises nations to allow citizens to get tested and put them in quarantine if they are infected. It is a significant step, as nearly 50% of the people are aware of the importance of testing in suspected cases but the remaining 50% of the participants are not. Doubts or fears about quarantine can make the public hide behind closed doors. This behavior of theirs could be dangerous, as it not only puts them in a difficult situation, but is risks their entire family and neighbors. Surprisingly, nearly 42.4% of the participants have asked for more information about COVID-19 so that they can take sufficient precautions and prepare themselves to avoid contracting the disease. These are the participants who had fewer opportunities to access healthcare services. They indeed need more information on COVID-19 to stay away from the deadly disease. This is the substantial finding of our study: nearly half of the participants did not have detailed information or a desire to gain more knowledge about the disease. The focus of the administrators should be on this category of people—the common man—so that they too can prepare themselves to fight the disease. Overall, the reported preparedness could be because the healthcare authorities have already initiated awareness and preparedness activities beyond their own borders. Every country around the world is being encouraged to draft a preparedness plan as per the WHO's global guidelines: “The ‘COVID-19' Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan” (SPRP). The SPRP outlines the public health measures that are needed to be taken to support countries to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 ( 51 , 52 ).

It was observed that the educational background plays a significant role in understanding the infection quickly. This survey showed that HCWs and people with higher education have a better understanding of the disease than their counterparts. Even though all the groups showed almost identical knowledge about the primary information of the disease, in some areas, such as disease complications, high-risk populations, personal protection measures, and treatment availability, a clear distinction exists. For example, only 68.78% of the less educated showed awareness of the high risk of contracting the infection of older people.

The WHO have initiated several online training sessions and materials on COVID-19 in various languages to strengthen preventive strategies, including raising awareness and training HCWs in preparedness activities ( 53 ). In several instances, misunderstandings among HCWs have delayed controlling efforts to provide necessary treatment ( 44 ), which led to the rapid spread of infection in hospitals ( 33 , 49 ) and putting patients' lives at risk. The present study also analyzed the preparedness of HCWs to fight against COVID-19 and found all participated HCWs were well prepared and ready for the current outbreak.

All participating HCWs report that they have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment's (PPEs), such as goggles, masks, and gowns, to manage emergencies, 99.72% of HCWs depend on an external resource center like CDC and WHO for the required emergency materials, and 98% HCWs say that they have already checked their hospitals equipped with patient care equipment, including portable ventilators. Surprisingly, few respondents (18.26%) say they were unaware of any preparation, and very few (4.36%) say that there is no need for any preparation. In general, our study indicated that the HCWs have well equipped themselves to fight against COVID-19. Although, hospitals and HCWs are fully geared up to face the pandemic situation, the best national option available is to spread awareness in order to stop the spread of disease. We have no other way but to educate our fellow citizens to not indulge in any activities that could lead them being a part of the problem. Instead, they should be encouraged to be the part of the solution.

The WHO has published guidance for public health and social measures at the workplace within the context of COVID-19. This included the standards for all workplaces and specific criteria for workplaces and jobs at medium risk and high risk. The guidance suggested to adapt the essential preventive measures for all workplaces, including practicing hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, physical distancing (avoid direct physical contact by hugging, touching, or shaking hands), reducing and otherwise managing work-related travel, regular environmental cleaning and disinfection, risk communication, training and education, and management of people with COVID-19 or their contacts. In addition, specific measures for workplaces and jobs at medium risk included frequent cleaning and disinfection of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly (fomites). In such places where physical distancing of 1 meter cannot be maintained for a particular activity, all mitigating actions possible should be taken to reduce the risk of transmission between workers, clients or customers, contractors, and visitors, and these include staggered activities, minimizing face-to-face and skin-to-skin contact, ensuring workers work side-by-side or facing away from each other rather than face-to-face, and assigning staff to the same shift teams to limit social interaction. Along with that, such workplaces must be well-ventilated with a natural air of artificial ventilation without re-circulation of air for high-risk work activities and jobs. The WHO have advised that we find possibilities to suspend operations or adhere to the hygiene measures before and after contact with or suspicion of COVID-19. In such cases, workers must comply with the use of medical masks, disposable gowns, gloves, and eye protection for workers and use of protective equipment when in contact with COVID-19 patients, their respiratory secretions, body fluids, and highly contaminated waste. HCWs must be trained in infection prevention and control practices and use of PPEs to handle such situations ( 54 , 55 ).

The knowledge and awareness of the disease are important parameters for the adoption of protective measures that minimize the exposure risk of the illness. Our findings suggest that residents who are less educated and who are non-healthcare professionals possess less knowledge of COVID-19 disease and preventive measures than their counterparts. Therefore, health promotion and awareness programs are warranted to address these particular sections of the population. Thus, COVID-19 awareness programs and other educating strategies should be developed and implemented more effectively to eradicate this disease and increase the breadth of knowledge of rurally and minimally educated populations. These findings are useful for public health policymakers and health workers to recognize target populations for COVID-19 prevention and health education.

The strength of the study lies in its large sample size, recruited during a crucial period—the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, this was an online self-reported survey conducted during lockdown due to pandemic, and this affected our outreach to the general population. Our sample was obviously over-representative of well-educated people, including healthcare workers, and those who have access to computers and the internet. Hence it may not truly represent the entire population of the study region. Therefore, the generalization of the findings may suffer from reporting bias.

The present study sheds light on the current level of awareness regarding COVID 19, including knowledge, preventative practices, and preparedness in the South-West region of Saudi Arabia, which is still struggling to achieve its target of total COVID-19 eradication. The results of this survey indicated that the majority of respondents were aware of the knowledge, preventive measures and well prepared to fight against COVID-19. It was evident that the community's overall COVID-19 awareness and their preparedness among educated and HCWs populations were fairly satisfactory. However, there were few misconceptions regarding the mode of COVID-19 transmission among the participants, which need to be addressed. Knowledge and preparedness do translate into improved practices toward COVID-19 prevention and the same was reflected in this study. In order to achieve complete control over COVID-19, it would also be worthwhile to invest in various COVID-19 prevention efforts, including health education and innovative strategies based on local evidences to raise the community's awareness and to improve its preventative practices.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Author Contributions

RT and PT: conceptualization, methodology, writing of the original draft, investigation, project administration, and final editing. SSA and AA: supervision, co-project administration, data collection, feedback, and making substantive changes. AM: software, validation, and formal analysis. SA: visualization and investigation. WA and DB: data collection and calculations, writing, reviewing, editing of the manuscript, and formal analysis. FA: preparation of Google form and Arabic translation. All authors participated in the distribution of the survey.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge Deanship of Scientific Research, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia, for their continuous support throughout the study.

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Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus, outbreak, awareness, preparedness, healthcare, residents, questionnaire

Citation: Tripathi R, Alqahtani SS, Albarraq AA, Meraya AM, Tripathi P, Banji D, Alshahrani S, Ahsan W and Alnakhli FM (2020) Awareness and Preparedness of COVID-19 Outbreak Among Healthcare Workers and Other Residents of South-West Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Front. Public Health 8:482. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00482

Received: 15 May 2020; Accepted: 28 July 2020; Published: 18 August 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Tripathi, Alqahtani, Albarraq, Meraya, Tripathi, Banji, Alshahrani, Ahsan and Alnakhli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Pankaj Tripathi, pankaj10pcol@gmail.com

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Wash your hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, especially: After being in public places and touching door handles, shopping carts, elevator buttons or handrails. After using the bathroom. Before preparing food or eating. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
2 Minute Speech on Covid-19 (CoronaVirus) for Students
Short 2-Minute Speech on Covid 19 for Students. The coronavirus, also known as Covid - 19, causes a severe illness. Those who are exposed to it become sick in their lungs. A brand-new virus is having a devastating effect throughout the globe. It's being passed from person to person via social interaction.
How to Protect Yourself and Others
Respirators (for example, N95) are made to protect you by fitting closely on the face to filter out particles, including the virus that causes COVID-19. They can also block droplets and particles you breathe, cough, or sneeze out so you do not spread them to others. Respirators (for example, N95) provide higher protection than masks.
How to avoid COVID-19
Wearing a face mask mask can help stop droplets from spreading when people talk, cough and sneeze, which reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. Learn more about how to wear a mask and which masks are best. Getting vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccination stops people from becoming very sick if they catch COVID-19.
Coronavirus Prevention: How to Stay Safe & Avoid Getting Sick
Dry your hands with a clean towel, or let them air-dry. Soap and water are the best tools for keeping clean hands. But when they're not nearby, you can use hand sanitizer. It should be at least ...
COVID-19 advice
Protect yourself and others from COVID-19 by following these precautions: Get all the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Keep a safe distance from others, especially in closed spaces. When indoors, open windows if possible. Wear a mask if you're or those around you are at high risk of severe illness. Keep hands clean. Cover coughs and ...
PDF Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in ...
What is COVID-19? COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. 'CO' stands for corona, 'VI' for virus, and 'D' for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as '2019 novel coronavirus' or '2019-nCoV.' The COVID-19 virus is a new virus linked to the same family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory
How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay
Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays. Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form. To help ...
Easy to Read COVID-19 Materials
Easy to Read COVID-19 Materials. Updated May 15, 2023. Español. Print. These Easy to Read COVID-19 materials were primarily developed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others who read or listen with understanding below a third-grade level.
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Symptoms, Causes & Prevention
The best defense to prevent getting COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. You should also follow the same steps you would take to prevent getting other viruses, such as the common cold or the flu . Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds — especially before eating and preparing food, after using the bathroom, after wiping your nose, and after coming ...
Coronavirus: how to protect yourself from the outbreak
Here are six things you can do to protect yourself and others. 1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Our hands touch door handles, keyboards, taps and numerous other surfaces, so the virus could easily be picked up this way. Rubbing tired eyes or touching your nose or mouth could transfer the virus from your hands into your body.
The Coronavirus Speech I'd Give
The media's core message on the coronavirus is that even if we behave, coronavirus will change life as we know it for years to come: massive job loss, disease, and yes, death, rivaling the ...
Examining persuasive message type to encourage staying at home during
Such articles convey messages from governors, public health experts, physicians, COVID-19 patients, and residents of outbreak areas, encouraging people to stay at home. This is the first study to examine which narrator's message is most persuasive in encouraging people to do so during the COVID-19 pandemic and social lockdown.
How teachers can talk to children about coronavirus disease
Preschool. Focus on communicating good health behaviours, such as covering coughs and sneezes with the elbow and washing hands. See more on how to avoid the risk of infection here. One of the best ways to keep children safe from coronavirus and other diseases is to simply encourage regular handwashing, for at least 20 seconds.
12 writing tools to make COVID-19 coverage comprehensible
They need news they can use. 8. Only quote people who can make things clearer than you can. A common piece of writing advice is to "Get a good quote high in the story.". The key word there is ...
Frontiers
Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was declared a "pandemic" by the World Health Organization (WHO) in early March 2020. Globally, extraordinary measures are being adopted to combat the formidable spread of the ongoing outbreak. Under such conditions, people's adherence to preventive measures is greatly affected by their awareness of the disease.Aim: This study was aimed to ...
COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of our economies
This pandemic has mercilessly exposed the deep faultlines in our labour markets. Enterprises of all sizes have already stopped operations, cut working hours and laid off staff. Many are teetering on the brink of collapse as shops and restaurants close, flights and hotel bookings are cancelled, and businesses shift to remote working.