ABSTRACT
Background The global pandemic of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in early 2020. The consequences of the pandemic were vast, where healthcare systems, education, and the economy of many countries were greatly affected. As such, extraordinary precautions and measures were implemented to the public as well as to the healthcare systems in order to counter the spread of the disease. However, the success of these measures depends largely on the individual's adherence to them as well as their awareness about COVID-19. Indeed, healthcare workers and their non-medical co-workers play a crucial role in that, as they are considered the front line in fighting the infection. Objectives To assess the knowledge, awareness and perceptions of the healthcare workers (HCWs) regarding COVID-19 in Al-Imam Abdulrahman Al Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, a previously validated questionnaire was used as an online survey to assess the knowledge, awareness and perceptions (KAP) of HCWs regarding COVID-19. The targeted population of this study was all the healthcare workers in Al-Imam Abdulrahman Al Faisal Hospital, including their non-medical co-workers. Results The study included 274 respondents consisting of 53.65% males and 46.45% females with an average age between 30-39 years. The majority of the respondents were paramedics with a percentage of 30.66%. The governmental references were the main source of information regarding COVID-19 for 69% of the respondents. Questions with accurate responses that exceeded 90% were about the COVID-19 complications, transmission, and measures to reduce its transmission. In this study, overall knowledge was significantly associated with the gender of the participants (P=0.01). Conclusion There was a good level of knowledge and perception in health care professionals and co-workers regarding SARS-CoV-2.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus is a serious, global disease. Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by immune dysregulation, has various anatomical variations, and is considered as comorbidity. These variations mean that children with DS are at risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 if the virus is contracted. Here, we report the first case of COVID-19 in a four-month-old infant girl with DS and congenital heart disease (CHD) who was treated in Al-Imam Abdulrahman Al Faisal Hospital in the first health cluster in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The medical management and clinical outcome of the infant are reviewed. The infant was admitted after having received previous treatment from other hospitals, with a deteriorating condition. The patient had developed a rash, and oxygen support was required in addition to her baseline medication (furosemide and captopril). Ten days post admission, the patient's condition improved, and she became clinically stable. She was then discharged after two consecutive negative nasopharyngeal swabs. Based on the reported case, infants with DS and CHD should be considered a high-risk patient in terms of COVID-19 infection and require close observation.