Table 3 Knowledge of COVID-19 among Gurage zone town administration communities, South Ethiopia, July 2020 (n = 633)
Knowledge of symptoms | Frequency (Percentage) | |
|---|---|---|
Correct | Incorrect | |
The main clinical symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, fatigue, dry cough, and myalgia | 622 (98.3%) | 11 (1.7%) |
Unlike the common cold, stuffy nose, runny nose, and sneezing are less common in persons infected with the COVID-19 virus | 571 (90.2%) | 62 (9.8%) |
Knowledge of high risk and prognosis | ||
Not all persons with COVID-19 will develop severe cases. Only those who are elderly, have chronic illnesses and obese are more likely to be severe cases | 599 (94.6%) | 34 (5.4%) |
There currently is no effective cure for COVID-19, but early symptomatic and supportive treatment can help most patients recover from the infection | 623 (98.4%) | 10 (1.6%) |
Knowledge about Mode of transmissions and infectiousness | ||
The COVID-19 virus spreads via respiratory droplets of infected individuals | 595 (94.0%) | 38 (6.0%) |
Eating or contacting wild animals would result in the infection by the COVID-19 virus | 491 (77.6%) | 142 (22.4%) |
Persons with COVID-19 cannot infect the virus to others when a fever is not present* | 165 (26.1%) | 468 (73.9%) |
Knowledge about ways of prevention | ||
Proper washing hand with soap and water is one method of preventing COVID-19 | 630 (99.5%) | 3 (0.5%) |
One way of prevention of COVID-19 is not touching the eye, nose by unwashed hands | 627 (99.1%) | 6 (0.9%) |
To prevent the infection by COVID-19, the individuals should avoid going to crowded places such as train stations and avoid taking public transportations | 617 (97.5%) | 16 (2.5%) |
People who have contact with someone infected with the COVID-19 virus should be immediately isolated in a proper place | 610 (96.4%) | 23 (3.6%) |
Ordinary residents can wear general medical masks to prevent the infection by the COVID-19 virus | 592 (93.5%) | 41 (6.5%) |
Isolation and treatment of people who are infected with the COVID- 19 virus are effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus | 546 (86.3%) | 87 (13.7%) |
Children and young adults do not need to take measures to prevent the infection by the COVID-19 virus* | 52 (8.2%) | 581 (91.8%) |