Abstract
Background: Despite the emergence of potentially prophylactic vaccines, COVID-19 transmission poses a persistent threat to healthcare providers (HCPs) communities. Aim: Assess the progress in the knowledge and attitudes of HCPs of Armed Forces Hospital Wadi Al Dawasir (AFHWD) toward COVID-19 measures and vaccines perception. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed online, 09-10, 2021, to achieve study aim. SPSS-22.0 software was used for the analysis; ANOVA; t-test used for comparing quantitative variables;.2 for categorical data; level of materiality set to 0.05. Results: Out of 149 HCPs, 38 (25.5%) were "physician" 44 (29.5%); "nurse"; 31 (20.8%) " allied health" 11 (7.4%)" pharmacist"; 25 (16.8%); "other"'. HCPs averaged 39.3 +/- 9.2y of age. Overall score (84.3%) greater than cutoff, set to 70%, also greater than that assessed earlier (69.5%) was achieved (p=0.005). The higher profession the higher score (p<0.05). "Age"; "clinician"; "infection prevention and control (IPC) training; "COVID-19 infection", were significant score predictors. COVID-19 "all knowledge" (general and IPC, combined) = 79% exceeded cutoff (70%), (p<0.001); also exceeded that identified earlier (69.6%), (p<0.001). The IPC perception score behaved likewise: 86.1% vs. 70%, 86.1% vs. 71.6%, (p<0.001), respectively. An overall vaccine response (68.3%) comparable to cutoff was verified (68.3%), (p=0.08). Most (86.6%) HCPs accepted a COVID-19 vaccine; 73.2% were vaccine confident; 23.3% of those immunized were concomitantly vaccine hesitant (p = 0.012). "Age" and "clinician" predicted vaccine response variability. Conclusion: Findings imply an ongoing improvement of the HCPs' responses on COVID-19 requirements. Continued education and adherence with updated protocols provide utmost protective environment for the HCP staff against COVID-19 consequences.