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Background: Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly growing due to high level of contagiousness. Different measures have been taken to slow the spread of the virus. Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of these key measures. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated adherence of the general public to use of PPE and their knowledge regarding the rationale behind their use. Methods: Two samples were chosen from public places (a subway station and a city store) in Tehran, Iran, one of the countries affected by COVID-19. Individuals were observed for appropriate use of PPE and interviewed regarding their knowledge on some basic self-protection information. Results: Approximately, half of the 431 participants did not take any measures to ensure hand hygiene, while those who did not use respiratory protection were far fewer. A considerable number of individuals, however, did not use these PPE correctly. On the other hand, there was a gap in the knowledge of the general public regarding different aspects of protective measures. The majority of the participants were receptive towards education on preventive measurements through public media. Conclusion: Education is an important aspect in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, as it directly increases adherence of the general public to protective measures.

Background: obesity is a risk factor for various diseases and can affect the disease course. Studies have shown detrimental effects of obesity on patients affected with SARS-CoV-2 including increased hospitalization and more severe disease. This study aims to investigate effects of obesity on symptom duration in patients with COVID-19 and investigate possibility of using BMI as a predictor of symptom duration in outpatient settings. Methods: patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between June and October 2020 who had no other comorbidities and were planned to receive treatment in the outpatient setting were enrolled in the study. Duration of the symptoms was determined based on participants’ self-report of their symptoms. Linear regression was used to create predictive models based on participants’ BMI, age, sex, disease presentation, and their self-reported symptom duration. Results: 210 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients with higher BMI had significantly longer symptom duration. Linear regression models showed highest correlation between BMI and symptom duration compared to other covariates. Conclusion: low error in predictions and high coverage of data variability showed BMI can be used as a predictive factor for symptom duration in COVID-19 patients treated in outpatient settings.

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