Study of level of the precautionary measures taken by parents and the impact of COVID 2019 on children daily life during curfew

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has caused many changes in all communities world-wildly, at many levels, leaving us to reset our priorities and needs. All that for the sake of surviving this pandemic. But children played the least important role in these rearrangements, or at least this how the community handled it. Aim of the study: To study the precautionary measures that were taken by the parents on their children in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia during curfew. Study the impact of COVID on children's healthcare, diet, and daily routines. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in different regions of Saudi Arabia from the period of 1st July 2020 to 30th January 2021. Data were compiled and analyzed using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS, version 16) and results were analyzed with frequencies and Chi-squared test as appropriate. P-value was considered significant if P < 0.05. Results: The study included 532 participants, 69.7% of participated parents were mothers (females) and 30.3% were fathers (males). 83.5% of mothers were highly educated. 41% didn't observe any change in their children's activity, the little less 37% agreed that it decreased their activity. 64.5% of the parents believed that herbal meds and supplements boost their children's immunity. 27.6% were not sure. The rest 7.9% didn't believe in their effect. 39% of the parents who had children in the age of vaccination, had to delay it, while 60% stuck to the schedule. Conclusion: People sticking to precautionary measures were more relatable to what they believed not what they were forced to do the increased number of cases at the beginning of the partial curfew proves that. Even though social gathering had its financial penalty the responses were greater with hand washing.