COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is spreading rapidly worldwide, with devastating consequences for patients, healthcare workers, health systems, and economies. As it reaches low- and middle-income countries, the pandemic puts healthcare workers at high risk and challenges the abilities of healthcare systems to respond to the crisis. This study measured levels of knowledge and preparedness regarding COVID-19 among physicians and nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare workers in Libya between February 26 and March 10, 2020. We obtained 1,572 valid responses of a possible 2,000 (78.6%) participants from 21 hospitals, of which 65.1% were from physicians and 34.9% from nurses. The majority of participants (70%) used social media as a source of information. A total of 47.3% of doctors and 54.7% of nurses received adequate training on how to effectively use personal protective equipment. Low confidence in managing suspected COVID-19 patients was reported by 83.8% of participants. Furthermore, 43.2% of healthcare workers were aware of proper hand hygiene techniques. Less than 7% of participants received training on how to manage COVID-19 cases, whereas 20.6% of doctors and 26.3% of nurses felt that they were personally prepared for the outbreak. Awareness and preparedness for the pandemic were low among frontline workers during the study. Therefore, an effective educational training program should be implemented to ensure maintenance of appropriate practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. arabic 19 English 107
Muhammed Elhadi, Ahmed Zaid(1-2020)

Objective Healthcare workers, particularly those working in departments that provide care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are at a higher risk of this contagious disease than those who work in other departments. The aim of this study was to assess the psychological status of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has compounded Libya's existing civil war-related problems. Methods A multi-center cross-sectional survey on depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and abuse was conducted. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among healthcare workers. Results The data of 745 eligible healthcare workers from 15 hospitals were analyzed. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were compared to the basic characteristics of the participants to determine the association. A total of 420 (56.3 … arabic 17 English 93
Muhammed Elhadi, Ahmed Zaid(1-2020)

Measles, Mumps ,and rubella (MMR) are serious diseases that can lead potentially to disability and death. The study aimed to determine seroprevalence rates of antibody levels against MMR among Libyan children at school entry. This was a cross sectional study undertaken in Tripoli, from August to September 2016. Children of school-entry age (> 5 to ≤ 7 years) were randomly recruited at vaccination centers. Sera were tested for antibodies againstMMR. Data analyzed by SPSS program version 20. Out of 546 children, 290 were males. IgG antibodies against measles, mumps, and rubella were positive in 513 (94%), 436 (80%), 538 (98.5%) children, respectively. Seropositivity rates in Libyan children at school entry is protective and this is similar in so many other studies. This indicates that MMR vaccine program is effective in strengthening herd immunity in the Libyan community. arabic 19 English 111
Mohamed Abugalia, A Bashein(1-2021)