Background
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide, and the vaccine remains the ultimate cornerstone to overcoming its long-term impact. Vaccine hesitancy might obstruct the effort to achieve herd immunity and eradicate the virus. We assessed Saudi Arabian individuals’ willingness, beliefs, and barriers regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and their adherence to preventive measures during and after the pandemic.
Methods
A self-administered electronic validated questionnaire was distributed among the five major regions in Saudi Arabia between November and December 2020. The questionnaire addressed the sociodemographic data, beliefs, potential barriers, parents’ acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination for their children, and adherence to protective measures during and after the pandemic.
Results
Of 8,056 participants, 4,218 (52.4%) of a non-representative sample were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Being a young adult, male, having less than a high school degree, being a smoker, having a chronic disease, and having a history of seasonal influenza vaccine uptake were positive predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Hesitant participants reported concerns about vaccine side effects and safety as the main barriers to accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Some refusers (26.1%) declared that they would reconsider vaccination only if the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine were reported by more studies.
Conclusions
Our study revealed a promising willingness to accept the vaccine among the population, with positive beliefs and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. However, a considerable proportion of the population was reluctant to accept the vaccine. Thus, publicly providing information about vaccine safety and implementing health education programs is crucial for increasing the public’s confidence in the vaccine.
Background: Urgent medications are regularly prescribed using the term "stat", which indicates that the medication should be administered within 30 min after it is ordered. However, many hospitals struggle to reliably administer stat medications within 30 min after they are ordered. This study involved developing and evaluating an automated intravenous dosage medication calculation tool (AIVDMCT) for reducing the time between the order and administration of stat medications to children at a pediatric emergency department (PED) in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This prospective observational study evaluated data from before (June-December 2016) and after (June-December 2017) the AIVDMCT was implemented for high-risk medications in our PED. Patients were considered eligible if they were <14 years old, weighed <40 kg, and required stat intravenous (IV) medications at the PED of our tertiary care hospital. Results: Implementation of the AIVDMCT significantly reduce the intervals between the time of order (TO) and the time of preparation (TP) (average time: 8.05 AE 3.42 min) and between the TP and the time of administration (TA) (average time: 3.74 AE 1.70 min). Furthermore, the interval from the TO to the TA was significantly reduced after the AIVDMCT was implemented (average time: 11.79 AE 4.48 min, P < 0.001).
Conclusion:The AIVDMCT was associated with a significant reduction in the interval from the TO to the TA. This increased the proportion of stat medications that were delivered within the 30-min target window.
Background
Hemolacria is a rare condition that is characterized by the presence of blood in tears. It is a rare condition due to which insufficient literature and resources are present. Therefore, its prevalence and predilection for a specific gender, race or age remain uncertain. Hemolacria is one of the most alarming symptoms in ophthalmology, associated with multiple underlying etiologies and diseases.
Case report
We report an unusual case of a 12-year-old female patient who experienced episodic bilateral bloody tears for 3 days, which was associated with epistaxis. The patient's condition was thoroughly evaluated, and all investigations were unremarkable. The patient was then referred to an ophthalmologist for evaluation, and a slit-lamp examination was also unremarkable. After performing all necessary investigations and taking various causes of hemolacria into account, the child was diagnosed as having idiopathic hemolacria. The patient and parent were appropriately counseled regarding the disease, and thereafter, the patient is being followed-up by an ophthalmologist. The reports of the follow-up performed after a month from presentation stated that the patient was progressing favorably, and the bloody tears were resolved spontaneously.
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