<p>The Effects of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak on Academic Staff Members: A Case Study of a Pharmacy School in Saudi Arabia</p>

Abstract

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has required governments to implement preventive policies to control the spread of the virus. Temporarily closing schools and other educational institutions has been adopted in many countries, including Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess academic staff satisfaction with suspending face-to-face teaching and turning to web-based education. Additionally, this study assessed how the suspension of face-to-face classes has affected the administrative work, research, and community at the College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous online questionnaire. A total of 59 academic staff were included. Results: More than half the participants (55.9%) agreed or strongly agreed that the sudden shift to online education was done smoothly, more than half (57.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that virtual lectures were more flexible than face-to-face lectures, and a majority (79.7%) agreed or strongly agreed that the technology used for online education was reliable. A minority of participants agreed or strongly agreed that research (20.4%), community service (11.4%), and participation in scientific meetings (15.2%) had not been affected by the suspension. Conclusion: Suspending classes without stopping education has been implemented effectively, and administrative work has continued to run smoothly. However, research, community service, and attending scientific meetings have been negatively impacted by the suspension.

Mental Health Literacy and Help-Seeking Behaviours Among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in Abha, Saudi Arabia

“…KKU is a public university located in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, and it includes a total of 29 colleges and enrols more than 60,000 students. 14 …”

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Young Adults in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Study

“…The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak was declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after the global spread of the virus on the 1st of March 2020 [ 1 , 2 ].…”

“…Despite the preventative strategies, European countries were hit by a second wave of infection in the autumn of 2021 that required them to tighten the preventative measures that were eased during summer, 2020 [ 3 ]. Saudi Arabia adopted the same preventative efforts as the rest of the world [ 1 ]. However, this country, as well as the neighbouring Gulf countries, were hit by a second wave the beginning of February 2021, necessitating the reinforcement of the previous curfew.…”

Leading a Digital Transformation in Pharmacy Education with a Pandemic as the Accelerant

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