Prevalence of COVID-19 among high school teachers in Erbil city

Abstract

Background and objective: An outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Cases of epidemic pneumonia have been linked to the Huanan Seafood Market; thus, it has been dubbed the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The global spread of thousands of deaths from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led the WHO to declare a pandemic on March 12, 2020. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of COVID-19 disease and vaccination coverage among public preparatory school teachers in Erbil. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the target group of 772 teachers in 76 public preparatory schools. The study population was 3157 teachers, 1263 male and 1894 female, in Erbil city, from September 1, 2021, to March 30, 2022. A questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews using a simple random sampling method. Results: The study sample ages ranged from 26 to 62 years; the mean age, ±standard deviation, was 40.53 ± 9.75. The prevalence rate of COVID-19 was 63.1%. Of the study samples, 58.5% received information about COVID-19 disease from social media and 23.8% from satellite channels. 68.9% of the study samples received the COVID-19 vaccine, and the majority preferred the Pfizer vaccine. Conclusion: The majority of the study samples were infected with COVID-19 disease; many of the study samples received the COVID-19 vaccine; misconceptions need further correction; an increase in updating information regarding mode of transmission; an explanation of COVID-19 disease preventive measures; raising awareness of COVID-19 vaccination; more interesting health campaigns; and using mass media and community programs to change health behavior and reduce future health consequences of COVID-19 disease.