Knowledge regarding COVID-19 among the teaching professionals of Karnataka

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Around the world, the COVID -19 pandemic has had an impact on the lives of more than 349 million individuals. Educational institutions especially the faculty and students have an important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 virus.  The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge regarding COVID19 among the teaching professionals of Karnataka.   Material and Methods: A self-administered, pretested questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge regarding COVID 19 among the teaching Professionals of Karnataka State, India. Descriptive statistics were used in the present study to report the frequency/ percentage of responses for individual items. The total score was calculated for individual participants. Chi-square test was used to analyse the total scores with respect to the socio demographic variables.   Results: Sixty teachers participated in the survey, with all of them being aware of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority (96.7%) acknowledged person-to-person transmission, and 90% were informed about the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding symptoms, 95% recognized fever, cough, and breathing difficulty. Additionally, 98.3% identified social distancing, wearing masks, and frequent handwashing as preventive measures, while 96.7% advocated avoiding handshakes entirely.   Conclusion: The knowledge among teaching professionals in Karnataka regarding COVID19 was good.