Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Awareness, Risk Level, Hand Washing, and Water Consumption for Hospital Staff in Sulaimaniyah City of Iraq

Abstract

Covid-19 impacted several sectors such as economic, political, social, sports and art activities etc. On the other hand, it influenced handwashing times, awareness, and risk levels for the hospital staff in Sulaimaniyah City. In this study, the effects of Covid-19 on awareness, risk level, and hand cleaning have been focused on by hospital staff in Sulaimaniyah City hospitals. A qualitative method using an electronic questionnaire was applied for data collection. The total number of participants was 404 hospital staff. The percentage ratio of female employees is higher than males in the health sector in the Sulaimaniyah Hospitals. Awareness by the hospital staff has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants aged more than 55 years were more at risk because of their age, and females more than 55 years had the most threat. Covid-19 impacted the increasing rate of washing hands by 38% and using materials for cleaning hands by 46% for the hospital staff in Sulaimaniyah City. The average grand total change percentage was 41%. Water consumption increased by 135% in the Sulaimaniyah Hospitals throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, fewer working hours in the hospitals led to a high-water consumption ratio among the employees in the hospitals.

Research Perspectives on Buildings’ Sustainability after COVID-19: Literature Review and Analysis of Changes

“…In the field of environmental sustainability, with regard to the problem of climate change, research has already been trying to make its contribution for several years, but three years ago the world was shaken by a totally unexpected event, the COVID-19 pandemic. This worldwide pandemic upset and transformed, in the space of just a few months, the way people behaved and the way they perceived the world around them, drastically altering their perception of the spaces and environments in which they daily lived, worked, or simply spent their free time [13].…”

“…This worldwide pandemic upset and transformed, in the space of just a few months, the way people behaved and the way they perceived the world around them, drastically altering their perception of the spaces and environments in which they daily lived, worked, or simply spent their free time [13].…”