COVID-19 Knowledge and Perception among HealthCare Professionals in Two Arabian Gulf Countries

Introduction: The WHO announced on 30 January 2020 the respiratory tract infection outbreak caused by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) that was first recognized in China to be a global public health emergency Objective: To investigate healthcare professional's knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 Methods: The study was conducted across four hospitals in Saudi Arabia and two hospitals in Kuwait The questionnaire was completed between 18th May and the end of June 2020 Results: A total of 460 healthcare professionals completed the questionnaire, 37 8%(n=174) were males The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 64 and 80 4% (n=370) of the participants were aged 34 or below Official government websites 54 8% (n=252) and social media 43 3% (n=199) were the major reliable information sources related to COVID-19 only 37% (n=170) mentioned that the coronavirus disease could transmit through contact In addition, only 42% (n=191) of the study participants had the correct knowledge about the incubation period of the disease Moreover, 43 5% (n=200) of the participants were able to identify the symptoms of COVID-19 Conclusion: The study recommended the need to focus more on educational and awareness programs targeting all healthcare professionals to ensure the best practice and provide the optimal care