Table 4.
Descriptive analysis of the HCWs' beliefs, attitudes, and practices concerning the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
| Variable | Frequency | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant or other future variants | ||
| Agree | 860 | 66.9 |
| Disagree | 425 | 33.1 |
| Universal masking is still effective in preventing the spread of the Omicron variant or other future variants | ||
| Agree | 999 | 77.8 |
| Disagree | 286 | 22.2 |
| Social distancing is still effective in preventing the spread of the Omicron variant or other future variants | ||
| Agree | 1,002 | 78.0 |
| Disagree | 283 | 22.0 |
| Avoiding unnecessary international travel is still effective in preventing the spread of the Omicron variant or other future variants | ||
| Agree | 917 | 71.4 |
| Disagree | 368 | 28.6 |
| The COVID-19 vaccine should be mandatory for all adult populations | ||
| Agree | 1,056 | 82.2 |
| Disagree | 229 | 17.8 |
| In view of the Omicron variant outbreak, what do you think is the best booster COVID-19 vaccine? | ||
| Any of the current mRNA vaccines (Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19) | 549 | 42.7 |
| A new mRNA vaccine that is developed to better target the Omicron variant | 346 | 26.9 |
| Another, non-mRNA-type vaccine | 53 | 4.1 |
| It does not matter; I will be OK with receiving any vaccine as a third booster dose | 337 | 26.2 |
| Who is at the highest risk from the Omicron variant in your opinion? | ||
| The elderly | 894 | 14.9 |
| Patients with diabetes | 753 | 12.6 |
| Patients with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension | 703 | 11.7 |
| Patients with chronic renal disease | 792 | 13.2 |
| Patients with immune deficiency | 1,014 | 16.9 |
| Healthcare workers | 846 | 14.1 |
| The obese population | 607 | 10.1 |
| The young population | 335 | 5.6 |
| Previously unvaccinated people (added from others) | 18 | 0.3 |
| Others | 36 | 0.6 |
| The Omicron variant has the potential to cause a new COVID-19 pandemic wave worldwide. | ||
| Agree | 741 | 57.7 |
| Disagree | 544 | 42.3 |
| The Omicron variant may cause another COVID-19 wave in Saudi Arabia. | ||
| Agree | 590 | 45.9 |
| Disagree | 695 | 54.1 |
| A second national lockdown may be implemented if an Omicron variant outbreak occurs. | ||
| Agree | 593 | 46.2 |
| Disagree | 692 | 53.8 |
| Using a Likert rating from 1–5, how worried are you by | ||
| International travel * | 3.19 (1.12) | |
| The original variant that started the first pandemic * | 1.96 (1.14) | |
| The Alpha variant (which was first described in the UK) * | 1.67 (1.1) | |
| The Delta variant (which was first described in India) * | 1.97 (1.13) | |
| The new Omicron variant * | 2.18 (1.14) | |
*
Mean (SD).