ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The availability and access to COVID-19 vaccinations are critical to a successful pandemic response. More than 70% of the population reportedly needs to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to achieve herd immunity worldwide. However, the reluctance to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccines is holding up the process of vaccination and efforts to control the pandemic and its negative consequences for the global health system, society, and economy. Previous studies have shown low uptake of vaccination in some Middle Eastern countries due to negative attitudes toward vaccination, including concerns about safety and efficacy and doubts about the need for vaccination. AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, attitudes, and factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers, academic staff, and students in Saudi Arabia after the vaccine was made widely available by the government. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence, attitudes, and association between demographic factors and uptake of the first or second dose of vaccination among Saudi Arabian health workers and students. Data were collected using an online questionnaire administered and distributed through the Qualtrics platform. RESULTS: The study recruited 173 participants from different countries and from different Saudi regions, most of whom were faculty members (n = 83). Results indicated significant differences between regions; the mean attitude score for the Western region (M 3.23) was significantly higher than that for other regions (M 3.08, p = 0.030). There was also an association between education level and number of vaccine doses received. Thus, the participants with higher education were the most compliant with national vaccination requirements (p = 0.004). Although the three professional groups reported social media as the most frequently reported source of information (p = 0.021), administrators were more likely to receive information from the MOH than other professional groups. Similarly, faculty members were more likely to receive information from colleagues and professional journals than the other two professional groups. CONCLUSIONS: Government officials should build public confidence through vaccination campaigns and devise effective health education programs to increase vaccination uptake. Authorized institutions can effectively use social media platforms to encourage vaccination and promote awareness among all audiences.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has the potential development of negative maternal outcomes for pregnant women. The risk of contracting COVID-19 is high as pregnancy alters the maternal immune system. Therefore, this study aims to assess maternal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in three hospitals during the pandemic over four months, from the beginning of December 2019 until the end of March 2020. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire filled by the researcher using computers from the medical records of three hospitals. The sampling was all confirmed cases of pregnant women who delivered while being positive for COVID-19. RESULTS: This study has identified a total of 82 pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infection over the study period, with ages ranging from 18 to >40 years. The majority of the pregnant women (84.1%) were symptomatic, with fever (48.8%) being the most frequent COVID-19 symptom, followed by cough (42.7%) and shortness of breath (41.5%). Some women (46.3%) had a spontaneous normal vaginal delivery, and 50.2% had a cesarean delivery. The most common adverse pregnancy outcome was premature delivery (36.5%), followed by fetal distress (20.7%), preeclampsia (2.4%), eclampsia (1.2%), and diabetic ketoacidosis (1.2%), as well as the death of three pregnant women. CONCLUSION: This study found that infected mothers faced various risks of maternal adverse outcomes. The majority of the pregnant women experienced mild to moderate illness symptoms and were delivered within 14 days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Healthcare providers should provide more attention to pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Background COVID-19 has created major challenges for academic education and clinical training, as well as on routine, emergency, and elective patients who have been impacted by the health service's response to COVID-19. Simulation helps recognize and correct both active and latent threats in health institutions. Objectives This study aimed to describe the implementation steps, challenges, and solutions for simulations to make a difference in hospital operational readiness in the response to COVID-19. Methods We conducted a series of in situ simulations in different areas of the hospital to deal with COVID-19 patients. We designed seven scenarios to include different clinical situations of pediatric COVID-19 cases, such as emergency room triage and respiratory support. Results In total, seven simulation-based drills were conducted during March 1-30, 2020, and 89 healthcare professionals participated in these sessions. Many of the revealed latent threats were regarding teamwork, workflows, and adherence to infection control measures. Conclusion We found that in situ simulations helped to identify multiple latent hazard issues. Simulations have a great positive impact on hospital preparedness for the COVID-19 crisis in the pediatric field. Video-recorded simulations method is a good alternative to maintain medical supplies during the COVID-19 crisis.