MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT CORONAVIRUS DISEASE–19 AMONG THE MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine myths and realities about Coronavirus Disease–19 (COVID–19)
among the Medical Students, Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and
Duration: Suleman Roshan Medical College, Tando Adam from January 2021 to September
2021. Methods: Myths and realities based questionnaire was designed as per WHO advisory
recommendations for public myth buster. An online questionnaire-based information
collection was adopted for various aspects of COVID-19 related information and level of
awareness through What Apps and Google engine. A sample of 392 students qualified the
study protocol. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel Sheet and analyzed in SPSS ver. 19.0
(P<0.05). Results: Mean age of participant’s 23.5±7.1 years. Male comprised 49.2% (n=193)
compared to 50.7% (n=199) female participants (P=0.9). Most of response in Yes column was
no specific drug is available for novel virus was noted as 269 (68.6%), in No column 251
(64.03%) was noted for COVID – 19 spreads by houseflies and largest frequency was for
‘holding breath for 10 sec indicates no COVID – 19 infection’ noted in 213 (53.3%). Overall,
70.1% student’s response was correctly yes. 98 (25%) participants responded thermal scanners
can detect COVID – 19 virus, and 269 (68.6%) responded no specific drug is available to cure
the COVID-19.
Conclusion: We found both myths and realities of COVID – 19 from the Medical students.
Public health department should provide more informative knowledge to overcome the havoc
myths.