Level of Awareness among Staff and Students of Academic Institutions towards Covid-19 in Western and Central Regions of Saudi Arabia ‎

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CORONA (COVID-19) is a viral disease that leads to progressive mild fever, respiratory inflammation, which could result in critical respiratory complications, severe cardiovascular problems, and death. The objectives of the survey are to analyze the level of awareness among academic institutions including students and staff of medical and non-medical backgrounds. A pilot cross‑sectional online survey was conducted among academic institutions including consenting students and staff from 26 March-2020 to 27 April 2020 to assess the level of awareness about COVID-19 using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 374 participants responded by taking the self-administered questionnaire. Among those who had poor awareness, the majority was non-medical (95.7%). This study also shows that social media is the most common platform for seeking information among participants. There is a need to implement periodic awareness campaigns and training programs on the management of COVID-19 across all academic institutions.