Evaluating Pharmacists' Pharmacological Knowledge and Views Regarding Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia.

ABSTRACT

Background: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been widely used and approved for the prevention of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for individuals aged 16 years and older in Saudi Arabia. The emergency use authorization of this vaccine is crucial to managing the pandemic in the Kingdom. This vaccination strategy requires proper usage, knowledge, and management by pharmacists and other health professionals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using several previously validated questionnaires. Pharmacists working in different health sectors in Saudi Arabia in March-July 2021 participated via an online questionnaire. Comparative and descriptive analyses were used to analyze the data, and a P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 145 pharmacists with a mean age of 35.2 years (SD ± 5.59) were included. The study sample showed adequate general knowledge of COVID-19 and its causative virus signs. Overall, the results showed good knowledge of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and its pharmacological application among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia with significant chi square values (p< 0.0001). Conclusion: Pharmacists have good knowledge and understanding of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine; interestingly, the majority expressed a high level of awareness and agreed that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is a valuable vaccine for COVID-19 management.