Assessing COVID-19 Vaccine's Acceptability Amongst Health Care Workers in Oman: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccines are considered to be a vital tool in controlling the pandemic. Hesitation with COVID-19 immunization has been reported worldwide. The acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among health care workers (HCWs) is an important step in determining the success of any new vaccination program. This study aims to estimate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs in Oman. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a self- administered questionnaire was conducted among HCWs in December 2020. Data were analyzed using a bivariate level to identify the statistical association with acceptability using the Chi-squared test. At the multivariate level, we determined the socio-demographic and knowledge factors associated with vaccine acceptability. RESULTS: A total of 608 out of 700 HCWs participated (response rate 87 %), of which 64.8 % were Oman citizens and 53.8 % were aged between 30 and 39 years. The majority of the participants were female (62.8 %) and married (87.0 %), while 48.5 % of the respondents were doctors. Only 43 % of the participants were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while 57 % were either uncertain 35 % or unwilling 22 % to be vaccinated. The main reason for not being willing to receive the vaccine was their perceived adverse events after vaccination. The male participants (OR: 1.96 95 % CI 1.22-3.13) and those with a positive attitude towards the vaccine (OR: 9.17(95 %) CI-1.78-47.07) were more willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Similarly, trust in the government (OR: 2.41 95 % CI 1.57-3.71) and having sound knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine (OR: 15.91 95 % CI 9.81-25.88) improved the acceptability to vaccinate among the HCWs. In contrast, having a previous experience with SARS-CoV-2 (OR: 1.65, 95 % CI: 1.08-2.54), was associated with a significant decrease in COVID-19 vaccine acceptability. CONCLUSION: 50 % of HCWs reported being uncertain or unwilling to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 vaccine. Male gender, positive attitude towards the vaccines, trust in government and knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine as key factors that determine improved vaccine acceptability among HCWs. Therefore, to facilitate herd immunity among the population, it is necessary to initiate effective communication strategies among HCWs in order to sensitize them towards the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Public Health Messages for Social Behavior Change in the Wake of COVID-19: A Qualitative Study.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to study the impact of public health messages on social and behavioral change among recovered patients and the general population in response to coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) in Oman. METHODS: Four focus group discussions among recovered COVID-19 patients were organized and conducted via video conference to collect their insights on public health messages. Upon culmination of each discussion, we held debrief sessions with a particular focus on the responses and making notes of comments. Qualitative themes were also recorded at the end of each focus group. RESULTS: All 40 participants were COVID-19 recovered cases. The participants' mean age was 33.4±28.5 years, and 70.0% (n = 28) were males. We observed a generally positive attitude towards public health messages. However, it was stressed that the nature of such behavioral change posed a significant risk for psychological health. Lack of social interaction, for example, led to lower motivation, a sense of losing the meaning of life, and personal distress. While all participants acknowledged and appreciated the government authorities' efforts in disseminating and educating the masses on such a large scale using different modes of message delivery, all showed a serious concern as to whether they will be able to continue coping with the ongoing situation. CONCLUSIONS: The participants' responses suggest that public health messaging brought a significant social change in Oman. However, this conclusion cannot be generalized. Further, there is a continued need for strong public health policies with a particular focus on psychological health.

COVID-19 in the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States: An Evidence of Effective Response.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization (WHO) published a global strategic response plan in February 2020 aiming to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. It identified immediate activities required for global preparedness and response to the outbreak and set eight priority areas (pillars) essential for scaling up countries' operational readiness and response. Despite a semi-annual progress report on implementing the Global Strategic Plan in June 2020, there is limited granular information available on the extent of the national plan's content and implementation, particularly in the Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Therefore, we sought to review the preparedness and responsiveness towards the COVID-19 outbreak in the GCC in the first phase of the pandemic and to document lessons learned for improving the ongoing response efforts and preparedness for future pandemics. METHODS: A rapid appraisal was conducted in June 2020 according to the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan and the accompanying Operational Planning Guidelines. The survey was administered to public health professionals or/and infectious disease experts in the states. The findings were cross-triangulated with secondary data that was publicly available for each country. RESULTS: The preparedness and response efforts of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were fully compliant with all 11 (100%) pillars of the modified strategic response measures. Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar complied with eight of the pillars. The component on conducting COVID-19 related research was the lowest-performing across all the six states. CONCLUSIONS: All GCC states demonstrated an effective response to the pandemic, enhanced existing infrastructures, and accelerated reforms that would have otherwise taken longer. The lessons learned through the early phase of the pandemic continue to steer the states in realigning their strategies and resetting their goals of controlling the outbreak, particularly in the current context of vaccine introduction and increasing preparedness capacities for future pandemics.