ABSTRACT
Background: During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, trust within a community in the projected schemes or strategies to combat COVID-19 depends on the confidence generated and launched by the government and medical employees toward the public. The "vaccination intention" within a community is determined by a range of factors, which include sociodemographic features, personal beliefs, and attitude toward vaccination. Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted involving 2000 people using a Tencent questionnaire platform. One-way ANOVA was conducted for age, education, and occupation with vaccination intention for the COVID-19 vaccine. Correlation analysis was conducted between sources, trust, and vaccination intention indicating both types of sources (official and unofficial sources) and both types of trust (trust in the social environment and in vaccines). Results: The reception of the sources of information on the COVID-19 vaccine was significantly higher from official sources (M = 5.54, SD = 1.37) and government officials (M = 5.68, SD = 1.499) compared with that from experts in medicine (M = 5.39, SD = 1.511). Among the unofficial sources, "chatting and communicating with family and friends" scored the highest (M = 4.84, SD = 1.649). In the statistics on people's trust in all aspects involved in vaccines, the level of trust in the social environment was significantly higher and more concentrated than in vaccines (M = 5.67, SD = 1.129). The level of trust in government (M = 5.80, SD = 1.256) was slightly higher than in medical personnel (M = 5.53, SD = 1.199). People's willingness to be vaccinated was generally high (M = 78.15, SD = 22.354). The demographic factors were not influential in vaccination intention. Both sources (official and unofficial sources) and trust (trust in the social environment and in vaccines) are significantly and positively correlated with vaccination intention. Information receptions from official and unofficial sources were significant positive predictors of trust in the social environment, but they were not significant predictors of trust in vaccines. The mediating effect of trust in vaccines on the relationship between receiving information from official and unofficial sources and vaccination intention was insignificant. Conclusions: This study revealed that trust in the environment is an important channel linking people's information reception and vaccination intention, explores a new path for health information communication, and attempts to provide new ideas for health information dissemination and promotion.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created severe humanitarian and socio-economic constrains in the world. The health crises caused by COVID-19 has focused on consistent co-operation and strong bonding between the developed, developing and the under-developed countries to overcome this challenging pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Developing Countries , Ethnicity , Humans , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
COVID-19 emerged initially from Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in late December 2019, and since then, it has spread globally to be declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The Caribbean region started reporting COVID-19 cases in early March 2020, triggering new regional public health crises. The initial suspects and confirmed cases across the Caribbean countries were mainly imported cases and from cruise ships. The clinical manifestations varied from fever, cough, and malaise in mild cases to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and shock in severe cases. The Caribbean Public Health Agency has provided frequent updates on the preventive strategies and quarantine measures across the Caribbean member states. COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the Caribbean region's health system, economy, and psychology. This review presents the Caribbean perspective of COVID-19, detailing the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and preventive and surveillance measures. Vaccine hesitancy was found to be a major challenge that needs appropriate health education strategies to address the public. Strong leadership and regional collaboration among the Caribbean member states are necessary to provide optimal real-time data to the public and implement appropriate and effective guidelines in the island states.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus has emerged as a global health threat due to its accelerated geographic spread over the last two decades. This article reviews the current state of knowledge concerning the origin, transmission, diagnosis and management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Historically, it has caused two pandemics: severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome followed by the present COVID-19 that emerged from China. The virus is believed to be acquired from zoonotic source and spreads through direct and contact transmission. The symptomatic phase manifests with fever, cough and myalgia to severe respiratory failure. The diagnosis is confirmed using reverse transcriptase PCR. Management of COVID-19 is mainly by supportive therapy along with mechanical ventilation in severe cases. Preventive strategies form the major role in reducing the public spread of virus along with successful disease isolation and community containment. Development of a vaccine to eliminate the virus from the host still remains an ongoing challenge.