Background and Aim: COVID-19 pandemic has sent an obnoxious wave of medical emergency all over world. Health care workers and subordinate medical services personals are vulnerable to COVID-19 transmission. With the growing number of cases, it becomes necessary to screen the health care workers for COVID-19 periodically. Surgeons should adhere to the strict pre- cautions besides they should prepare operation room with certain standards to minimize the risk of virus spread. This study was aimed to assess the awareness of COVID-19 and its related infection control practices among surgeons in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted including all accessible surgeons in the governmental and private hospitals in of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using pre-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire included surgeonsÂ’ personal data, academic position and setting. Awareness regarding COVID-19 and work related precautions for surgeries under the epidemic.
Results: A sample of 375 surgeons, 261 (69.6%) were general surgery staff. Exact of 99.5% of the surgeons reported that of COVID-19 transmission through respiratory droplets. About 91.7% of the surgeons selected immune-compromised persons as the risk group for COVID-19 infection then elderly (79.5%), and patients with chronic health problem (75.5%). Totally, good awareness level regarding COVID-19 was detected among more than three quarters of the surgeons.
Conclusions: The study revealed that irrespective of the high awareness level recorded for the study participants regarding COVID-19 and its needed precautions. Pitfalls in many aspects especially at standards for surgeons work environment and screening for suspected cases need special precautions were noted.
Key words: COVID-19; Surgeons; Infection control; precautions; Awareness; Practice; Attitude
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