FSI researchers work to understand continuity and change in societies as they confront their problems and opportunities. This includes the implications of
ARD Releases August 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest
The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the August 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.
Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.
Mofeed Digest (August 2022)
The following digest summarizes the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles covering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. Mofeed Digest is produced by Mofeed Project Coordinator Serage Amatory.
[MENA | Algeria | Bahrain | Comoros | Djibouti | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Lebanon| Libya| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Syria| Tunisia| UAE| Yemen]
MENA
Putting MENA’s Pathogenic Variants on the Global Map
KAUST, August 2022
This article reports on the work of KAUST bioscientists to place some of the genetic information of the SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in Saudi Arabia on the global map. The scientists also identified a link between disease severity and the virus’s nucleocapsid protein.
COVID-19 Policy Responses in the Arab Region: Limited Fiscal Space and Lack of Effective Social Protection Systems
UN ESCWA, August 2022
This report sheds light on social protection interventions as part of wider fiscal support measures implemented by governments in the Arab region to cushion the repercussions of the pandemic on private households. It focuses on intra- and cross-regional differences in social protection spending using information and figures of public announcements issued by governments and tracked by the COVID-19 Stimulus Tracker of the ESCWA.
COVID-19 and the Gendered Impacts on Adolescent Wellbeing: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study of Locally Adapted Measures in Ethiopia, Jordan, and Palestine
eClinical Medicine, 3 August 2022
This article explores relationships between gender, COVID-19 vulnerability, social protection, and adolescent wellbeing in three diverse contexts: Ethiopia, Jordan, and Palestine.
Women’s Employment and Care Work in MENA during the Pandemic
Economic Research Forum, 16 August 2022
This article assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s employment and gender disparities in the MENA region. It shows that the experience of the pandemic underscores the persistent gender inequality in unpaid care work in MENA, and the necessity of redressing gender norms underlying this inequality to allow women equal employment opportunities.
How the COVID Vaccine Rollout Exposed Inequality in the Middle East
Middle East Eye, 19 August 2022
This article shows how the pandemic and the subsequent rush towards vaccination underscored the tremendous gap between rich countries and poorer countries and also the immense inequities that exist between countries and regions themselves. The article points to the Middle East as the region where inequities have been most intense.
COVID, Care and the City: Perspectives from MENA
London School of Economics, 22 August 2022
This article inquires whether the interval of COVID-19 produced particular challenges and practices in the MENA region, and how these shifted over the period 2020-2022. The authors draw on contributions related to different urban centers including those in Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunis, and with a special focus on Palestine and Palestinians in Lebanon.
Modeling the Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 Among Five High Burden African Countries
Clinical Epidemiology, 26 August 2022
This article aims to understand the transmission dynamics of the coronavirus and its variants in five African countries, including South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and Libya. The authors project that for the next 30 years, there will be around 86 million infected individuals and millions of deaths only in those five countries.
First, Do No Harm? The World Health Organization in the MENA Region
Arab Center Washington D.C., 26 August 2022
This article reflects on the successes and the failures of the World Health Organization in the MENA region during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies challenges facing the WHO in the region including the exodus of health professionals, resource-poor health facilities, and a lack of specialized resources for women, children, refugees, people with disabilities, the elderly, and nomadic groups.
Algeria
Rapport D’Enquête pour L’Evaluation de L’Impact Socio-Economique de la Pandémie COVID-19 sur les Entreprises en Algérie
UNDP, 23 August 2022
This article reports the findings of a survey assessing the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses in Algeria.
Bahrain
Long Term Detection and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater in Bahrain
Journal of Hazardouz Materials Advances, August 2022
This article reports on a long-term quantification study in Bahrain to investigate the incidence of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Epidemiological Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection
International Journal of Infectuous Diseases, August 2022
This article reports on the findings of a retrospective epidemiological study of 1362 COVID-19 reinfection cases in Bahrain between April 2020 and July 2021. The authors analyzed differences in disease severity and reinfection characteristics among various vaccination statuses: fully vaccinated, interrupted vaccination, one-dose vaccination, post-reinfection vaccination, and unvaccinated.
Demographic and Viral-Genetic Analyses of COVID-19 Severity in Bahrain Identify Local Risk Factors and a Protective Effect of Polymerase Mutations
medRxiv, 16 August 2022
This working paper analyzes paired viral sequencing and non-genetic host data to understand host and viral determinants of severe COVID-19 infections. The authors estimated the effects of demographic variables specific to the Bahrain population and found that the impact of health factors is largely consistent with other populations.
Maternal COVID-19 Disease and COVID-19 Immunization
Cureus, 23 August 2022
This article evaluates the immune response and vertical transmission of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) antibodies in vaccinated, expectant mothers infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and studies the sequelae. The study was conducted on pregnant women at Bahrain Defense Force Hospital from March 2021 to September 2021.
Comoros
COVID-19 : L’Engagement Communautaire des Femmes au Cœur de la Réponse aux Comores
World Health Organization, 25 July 2022
This article highlights the role of women communities in the Comoros in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Djibouti
Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Djibouti
The Borgen Project, 3 August 2022
This article examines the impact of the protective measures enacted by the Djiboutian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, income, unemployment, and women.
Egypt
Post COVID-19 Firm-Level Government Support in Egypt: Uneven Allocation and Unequal Effects
Economic Research Forum, August 2022
This article explores the allocation and effectiveness of government support to firms in Egypt. Government support has helped mitigate the effects of COVID-19, with a significantly larger, favorable impact on smaller, younger and private firms.
Prevalence of COVID-19 in Egyptian Children with Hemoglobinopathies and Inherited Anemias
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, August 2022
This article examines the prevalence of COVID-19 cases among children with hemoglobinopathies and other inherited anemias living in El-Minya Governorate, Egypt, who are at high risk of exposure to infection.
Modelling the Fourth Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt
Journal of Mathematics and Computer Science, 11 August 2022
This article studies the dynamics of COVID-19 in Egypt using machine learning algorithms and the epidemiological model SEIR. Among the machine learning models studied, two models showed promising results (SVR, SEGPR).
Comorbidities and Outcomes among Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 in Upper Egypt
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 12 August 2022
This article aims to evaluate the impact of comorbidities in COVID-19 patients on the outcome and to determine predictors of prolonged hospital stay, requisite for intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
SARS-CoV-2 Genome Variations and Evolution Patterns in Egypt: A Multi-Center Study
Scientific Reports, 25 August 2022
This article reports on the study of 110 diagnosed positive COVID-19 patient’s samples collected from Kasr Al-Aini Hospital and the Children Cancer Hospital Egypt between May 2020 and January 2021. The viral genomes were sequenced by next generation sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis was performed to understand viral transmission dynamics.
Iraq
The Role of Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Infection: Impact on Incidence and Severity in Iraq
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 4 August 2022
This article examines the role of the influenza vaccination in COVID-19 infections. It shows that influenza vaccination could be linked to better clinical outcomes and a lower COVID-19 severity score, without significant effect on the infection rate.
Analysis of Proinflammatory Cytokines in COVID -19 Patients in Baghdad, Iraq
Archives of Razi Institute, 10 August 2022
This article investigates the proinflammatory cytokines in patients with COVID -19 in Baghdad, Iraq. The most common clinical symptoms were cough, fever, and headache, while sore throat, gastrointestinal symptoms, chest pain, and loss of taste and smell were less common in COVID -19 patients.
Reinvigorating Medical Student Mentorships in Neurosurgery during the Pandemic: Lessons Learned from Iraq
Surgical Neurology International, 12 August 2022
This article discusses the Baghdad neurosurgery mentorship during the COVID-19 pandemic with notable comparison to the mentorship preceding the pandemic.
Contributing Factors in Whether Displaced Households Want to Receive Humanitarian Information from Humanitarian Actors: Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 August 2022
This article investigates factors related to desire of displaced households to receive humanitarian information. The authors show that the desire to receive humanitarian information was related to whether household members were unemployed due to COVID-19, displacement status, and walking time to reach the nearest health care facility and marketplace.
Measurement of the Serum Level of Leucine-Rich Alpha-2-Glycoprotein-1 in Hospitalized Iraqi COVID-19 Patients
Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences, 26 August 2022
This article reports on the findings of a study aimed to assess Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein-1 biomarker serum level in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Disease Severity and Efficacy of Homologous Vaccination among Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta or Omicron VOCs, Compared to Unvaccinated Using Main Biomarkers
Journal of Medical Virology, 27 August 2022
This article aims to establish the clinical severity of COVID-19 caused by Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants among patients who either attended or were admitted to hospitals and to compare the effectiveness of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
The Impact of COVID-19 Quarantine on Physical Activities in Basra, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Emerging Investigators, 30 August 2022
This article aims to determine the level of physical activity of the residents of Basra (the second-largest province in Iraq) during the COVID-19 quarantine according to sex, age, educational level, marital status, occupational/educational status, and health status.
Jordan
Drivers of the Acceptance Of COVID-19 Vaccines in Jordan: The Moderating Role of a Pre-Existing Health Condition
Journal of Positive School Psychology, August 2022
This article investigates the drivers influencing the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in Jordan and examines the moderating role of pre-existing health conditions.
The Impact of an Educational Workshop on Counteracting Hesitancy toward the COVID-19 Vaccine among Pharmacy Students in Jordan
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 4 August 2022
This article investigates the effect of clinical pharmacist-led education on counteracting hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine and thus on the willingness to take it by pharmacy students in Jordan.
Attitudes towards COVID-19 Booster Vaccines, Vaccine Preferences, Child Immunization, and Recent Issues in Vaccination among University Students in Jordan
Vaccines, 4 August 2022
This article explores attitudes toward recent issues in vaccination among university students in Jordan. The authors inquired about COVID-19 vaccine preferences, factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine preferences, child vaccination, and booster vaccines.
Regional Connectivity Drove Bidirectional Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Middle East during Travel Restrictions
Nature Communications, 15 August 2022
This article investigates the relative contributions of regional and intercontinental connectivity to the source-sink dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 for Jordan and the Middle East.
Active Safety Surveillance of Four Types of COVID-19 Vaccines: A National Study from Jordan
Clinical Drug Investigation, 23 August 2022
This article aims to investigate and compare the incidence, nature, severity, and predictors of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) with COVID-19 vaccines.
Jordan: COVID-19 Impact on Micro-Businesses and Landless Labourers - Final Report (August 2022)
REACH, 29 August 2022
This article focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (lockdown measures and restrictions, and their economic impacts) on agricultural microenterprises, income-generating activities, and income-diversification activities in Jordan. The enterprises and activities selected for this study correspond to four specific occupational groups: farming micro-businesses, food processing micro-businesses, artisanal micro-businesses, and landless laborers.
Kuwait
Aggression and Violence during the Lockdown Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kuwait
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 18 August 2022
This article investigates whether there are significant sociodemographic differences in reported cases of physical and verbal aggression, anger, hostility, and violence among 815 Kuwaiti residents during the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Children's Oral Health and Caregiver's Attitude towards Teledentistry: A Kuwait based study
Journal of Population Therapuetics and Clinical Pharmacology, 24 August 2022
This article aims to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on children's oral health and caregiver's attitude towards teledentistry in Kuwait.
Lebanon
Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health among the Young Population in Lebanon
L'Encéphale, August 2022
This article investigates the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms related to insomnia, depression, and anxiety, and identifies risk factors contributing to psychological stress in the Lebanese young population during COVID-19 pandemic.
Older Adult Syrian Refugees and COVID-19 in Lebanon
Norwegian Refugee Council, 2 August 2022
This joint report by the Norwegian Refugee Council and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University in Beirut explores the challenges faced by older Syrian refugees in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fighting COVID-19 in a Multicrisis Context: The Case of Lebanon
Community, Economy and COVID-19, 24 August 2022
This article studies the way in which the pandemic was successfully managed in the short term in Lebanon, but also how the lack of sustainable policies, low government trust, and limited monetary means led to an economic catastrophe and eventual large-scale spread of COVID-19.
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, Financial Wellness, and Online Teaching on Schoolteachers’ Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Lebanon
International Journal of Clinical Research, 26 August 2022
This article aims to assess stress, anxiety, and depression levels among Lebanese schoolteachers based on the COVID-19 outbreak, the Lebanese economic crisis, and online education.
Menstrual Health and Period Poverty in Lebanon during Economic Crisis: A Qualitative Analysis of the Challenges and Recommendations
Frontiers in Reproductive Health, 26 August 2022
This article aims to explore stakeholder's perspective on the Lebanese public health policy regarding menstrual health, the evolving challenges it faces in the context of the current economic collapse and the COVID-19 pandemic, and to suggest recommendations for solutions.
COVID-19 Mortality Surveillance in Lebanon
Scientific Reports, 27 August 2022
This article documents the Lebanese experience of COVID-19 mortality surveillance and provides an analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of confirmed deaths.
Libya
[Back to Top]
Labour Market Access for Migrants in Libya and the Impact of COVID-19
International Labour Organization, August 2022
This report aims to advance the understanding of (1) migrants’ access to employment and the role of labor intermediaries, (2) employment characteristics and conditions of migrant workers, and (3) the impact of COVID-19 on migrant’s ability to access the labor market in Libya and to sustain their livelihoods.
Morocco
[Back to Top]
Prevalence and Severity of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in COVID-19 Patients in Casablanca: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Cureus, 9 August 2022
This article aims to determine the prevalence of digestive symptoms among COVID-19 patients in Casablanca and to assess the correlation between these symptoms and disease severity.
Analysis and Dynamics of a Mathematical Model to Predict Unreported Cases of COVID-19 Epidemic in Morocco
Computational and Applied Mathematics, 20 August 2022
This article aims to study the mathematical modeling of undetected cases of the novel coronavirus in Morocco.
Real-world Study of the Effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) COVID-19 Vaccine in the Kingdom of Morocco
BMC Public Health, 20 August 2022
This article reports the findings of a retrospective cohort study to determine real-world BBIBP-CorV vaccine (Sinopharm) effectiveness against serious or critical hospitalization of individuals RT-PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first five months of BBIBP-CorV use in Morocco.
Phylogeography and Genomic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Morocco
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 30 August 2022
This article reports on the analysis of a total of 2130 genomes of the delta variant circulating around the world in order to monitor the evolution of these variants in Morocco. Authors also included 164 Moroccan delta variant sequences in their analysis.
Oman
[Back to Top]
Assessing COVID-19 Vaccine’s Acceptability amongst Health Care Workers in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, August 2022
This article aims to estimate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Oman.
Oman's COVID-19 Publication Trends: A Cross-Sectional Bibliometric Study
Public Health in Practice, August 2022
This article aims to assess the COVID-19 research output in Oman.
Reverse Immigration Effects for Expatriates in Oman During the COVID-19 Pandemic Shock
International Advances in Economic Research, 15 August 2022
This article investigates whether the COVID-19 pandemic shock had a negative impact on expatriates in the host country (Oman), and it identifies heterogeneous effects among different ethnic groups.
COVID-19 WhatsApp Sticker Memes in Oman
Discourse and Society, 31 August 2022
This article examines the form and function of personalized COVID-19 WhatsApp sticker memes created and shared as social laments by citizens in Oman.
Palestine
[Back to Top]
The Palestinian Health-Care Providers’ Perceptions, Challenges and Human Rights-Related Concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 11 August 2022
This article aims to explore health-care providers’ perceptions, perspectives, challenges, and human rights-related concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Palestine.
Severe Chest Imaging Findings of Coronavirus Disease from March to November 2020 in Palestine
European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences, 16 August 2022
This article aims to provide a thorough analysis of imaging manifestations of patients infected with severe COVID-19 in Palestine.
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among Vaccinated and Non-Vaccinated Adults in the West Bank: Results of a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Vaccines, 17 August 2022
This article aims to assess the seroprevalence rate among a random sample of Palestinians residing in the West Bank region of Palestine, especially among those who were not vaccinated and not diagnosed. The authors also measured the percentage of adult Palestinians who accepted to get vaccinated across gender and age groups.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs Perception Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination among the General Population of Gaza Strip-Palestine
International Journal of Clinical Science and Medical Research, 22 August 2022
This article aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and the beliefs perception regarding COVID -19 and vaccination among a convenience sample of general Palestinian adults.
Qatar
[Back to Top]
The Association between Tobacco Use and COVID-19 in Qatar
Preventive Medicine Reports, August 2022
This article aims to determine the prevalence of tobacco use among COVID-19 patients in Qatar, and to examine the relationship between tobacco use and hospitalized COVID-19 (non-severe and severe), and quantify its risk factors.
Barriers to Practicing COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors among Migrant Workers in Qatar: A Qualitative Study during the First Wave of the Pandemic
International Journal of Public Health, 4 August 2022
This article aims to identify the limitations facing MACWs (Manual and Craft Workers) in Qatar towards practicing the COVID-19 preventive measures and thereby designing behavioral change strategies.
Cardiovascular Risks and Outcome in COVID-19 Positive Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Attending Primary Health Care Corporation in Qatar: A Retrospective Cohort Study
MayoClinic Proceedings - Innovations, Quality & Outcomes Journal, 8 August 2022
This article aims to report whether cardiovascular diseases increase the risk for hospitalization and further complications in COVID-19 patients in Qatar
Protection of Omicron Sub-Lineage Infection Against Reinfection with Another Omicron Sub-Lineage
Nature Communications, 9 August 2022
This article aims to investigate immune protection of infection with one sub-lineage against reinfection with the other sub-lineage in Qatar during a large BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron wave, from December 2021 to March 2022.
Immune Protection Against SARS-CoV-2 Re-Reinfection and Immune Imprinting
medRxiv, 24 August 2022
This working paper from Qatar provides evidence that having two SARS-CoV-2 infections, one with a pre-Omicron variant followed by one with an Omicron subvariant, elicits stronger protection against future Omicron-subvariant reinfection than having had only one infection with an Omicron subvariant.
Dynamics of Anti-S IgG Antibodies Titers after the Second Dose of COVID-19 mRNA and non-mRNA Vaccines in the Manual and Craft Worker Population of Qatar
medRxiv, 25 August 2022
This working paper aims to generate evidence on long-term anti-S IgG antibodies titers and their dynamics in individuals in Qatar who have completed a primary COVID-19 vaccination schedule.
Saudi Arabia
[Back to Top]
Physical Activity Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviours among Adolescents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prior to and during COVID-19 Restrictions
Journal of Obesity, 2 August 2022
This article investigates the factors associated with physical activity (PA) prior to and during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) among middle school students in Jeddah, KSA.
Outcome after Single Dose of ChAdOx1 Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection at 16 Weeks Post-Vaccination among Healthy Adults in Saudi Arabia
Annals of Saudi Medicine, 4 August 2022
This assesses the rate of subsequent infection and immunogenicity of a single dose of ChAdOx1 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infections at 16 weeks post-vaccination in a sample of healthy and young participants in Saudi Arabia.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Infection Control Measurement during COVID-19 Pandemic among Dental Assistant in Hafar Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia
International Journal of Innovative Research in Medical Science, 5 August 2022
This article assesses knowledge and awareness about infection control measurement during the COVID-19 pandemic among dental assistants in Hafar Al-Batin in Saudi Arabia.
Transmission and Cleaning Misconception during the COVID-19 Pandemic Time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Cureus, 7 August 2022
This article aims to investigate the knowledge and attitude of the public in Saudi Arabia toward the concept of surface decontamination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Attitudes of Public-School Teachers towards E-learning in Saudi Arabia
Arab World English Journal, 10 August 2022
This investigates the attitudes of Saudi public-school teachers towards e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and documents their views concerning its advantages and disadvantages.
Monkeypox Caused Less Worry than COVID-19 among the General Population during the First Month of the WHO Monkeypox Alert: Experience from Saudi Arabia
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 August 2022
This article assesses the Saudi public's perception, worries, and vaccine acceptance for Monkeypox and COVID-19 during the first month of announcement by the World Health Organization.
Seroprevalence and Longevity of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antigen-IgG among Health Care Workers in a Large COVID-19 Public Hospital in Saudi Arabia: A Prospective Cohort Study
PLOS ONE, 12 August 2022
This article aims to describe the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia and to perform 8 months longitudinal follow-up (FU) to assess the duration of detectable IgG. It also aims to explore the risk factors associated with positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG.
Determinants of Post-COVID-19 Conditions among SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Diseases, 23 August 2022
This article describes the incidence of post-COVID-19 conditions among the general population of Saudi Arabia.
Knowledge, Attitude and Barriers toward COVID-19 Vaccine among Adults in Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2021, Web-Based Study International Journal of Advanced Research, 26 August 2022
This article aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and barriers toward COVID-19 vaccine among Saudi adults in the Eastern Province.
The Impact of Ramadan during COVID-19 Confinement on Weight, Dietary, and Lifestyle Habits in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
BMC Public Health, 30 August 2022
This article aims to investigate the influence of COVID-19 lockdown measures during Ramadan fasting on weight change in 481 participants in Saudi Arabia.
Prevalence of Depression and Its Associated Factors among Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 30 August 2022
This article aims to evaluate the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among confirmed patients with COVID-19 in Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes and Prognostic Factors for Critical Illness in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study
International Journal of General Medicine, 31 August 2022
This article aims to correlate clinical and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to disease outcome in Saudi Arabia.
Somalia
[Back to Top]
Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Sexual Function in Women with Female Genital Mutilation
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 18 August 2022
This article evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female sexual function in women with female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somalia.
Sudan
[Back to Top]
The Impact of COVID-19 on Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Labor Market: The Case of Sudan
Economic Research Forum, August 2022
This article shows how workers in Sudan suffered from temporary or permanent layoffs/suspensions (without pay), delays in wage payment, reduced earnings or delayed payments, and changes in personal net monthly wage during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides policy recommendations to increase government support to manage the impact of COVID-19 on the labor market and the provision of social protection for workers in Sudan and MENA countries.
Syria
[Back to Top]
Knowledge and Attitudes about Influenza and the Common Cold in Syria Post COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
Annals of Medicine and Surgery, August 2022
This article estimates the level of knowledge regarding the common cold and the influenza diseases among the Syrian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows that the public still cannot distinguish between the two diseases.
Another Crisis in the Sorrowland: COVID-19 in Northeast Syria
Journal of Global Health, August 2022
This article discusses the realities of COVID-19 infections and vaccination in the context of the conflict in north east Syria. It shows how refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps and informal settlements have some of the greatest risks for infectious disease spread.
The Quality of Syrian Healthcare Services during COVID-19: A HEALTHQUAL Approach
Frontiers in Public Health, 11 August 2022
This article evaluates the perceived healthcare service quality in Syria during the COVID-19 pandemic based on hospital type (public and private). The authors argue that crowdedness environment, medical staff availability and their low salaries, pricing policies as well as the health insurance system, are to blame for the low perceived quality.
Rare case of Pneumoperitoneum in Nonintubated COVID-19 Patient
Clinical Case Reports, 19 August 2022
This article reports the rare case of a 50-year-old female patient with COVID-19 presented to the emergency department at Aleppo University Hospital where supplementary oxygen is delivered via noninvasive face mask ventilation and where X-ray imaging confirmed the existence of pneumoperitoneum.
Tunisia
[Back to Top]
Navigating through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Unfinished Learning in Primary and Secondary Education in Tunisia
Journal for International Comparative and Multicultural Education, 3 August 2022
This article sheds light on the different measures taken in Tunisia to curb learning loss during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the challenges facing Tunisian students and the government.
Hospital Bed Capacity Across in Tunisia Hospital during the First Four Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Analysis
medRxiv, 25 August 2022
This working paper aims to analyze bed occupancies for public hospitals and time delay response from the health care system in regard to the epidemiological situation in Tunisia during the first four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UAE
[Back to Top]
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Customers’ Spending Behavior in the United Arab Emirates
International Journal of Business Management, August 2022
This article examines the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer spending behavior in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It finds that the spending behavior of UAE residents during the pandemic has not changed much compared to the pre-pandemic period, despite that some have lost a portion of their income.
A Review of the Environmental Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
Environmental Challenges, August 2022
This article reviews the environmental implications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic at the individual and community levels in the UAE. It found that the positive effects include improved air quality and reduced contamination of public spaces with pollutants, while negative effects include poor disposal of medical plastic waste and facemasks and the rise in unhygienic health practices amongst residents of the UAE.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Physical Therapy Undergraduates and Their Families. A Qualitative Study from the United Arab Emirates
International Journal of General Medicine, 1 August 2022
This article explores the physical activities of advanced undergraduate physical therapy students and their families during the COVID-19 lockdown and discusses how participants helped promote and maintain their own and their family’s physical health during the pandemic. It also identifies what knowledge and skills from their physical therapy studies the students utilized during the lockdown.
Human Albumin Solution Utilization Patterns Prior and During COVID-19 Pandemic in United Arab Emirates: Time to Develop and Implement National Guideline on Prescribing and Utilization
Narra Journal, 1 August 2022
This article identifies albumin utilization patterns in a multi-specialty private hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), before and during the COVID-19 epidemic in the country. It demonstrates the importance of reconsidering the prescribing strategies for albumin administration.
Pulmonary Thromboembolism in COVID-19 Patients on CT Pulmonary Angiography - A Single-Centre Retrospective Cohort Study in the United Arab Emirates
Journal of Surgery and Research, 26 August 2022
This article aims to identify the prevalence and distribution of pulmonary thromboembolism in COVID-19 infected patients at Shiekh Khalifa Medical City in the UAE.
Genomic Epidemiology and Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the United Arab Emirates
Scientific Reports, 29 August 2022
This article aims to characterize the epidemiology, transmission pattern, and emergence of variants of concerns (VOCs) and variants of interests (VOIs) of SARS-CoV-2 in the UAE, followed by the investigation of mutations associated with hospitalized cases.
Yemen
[Back to Top]
Detection of Short-Term Side Effects of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Study in a War-Torn Country
Pragmatic and Observational Research, 25 August 2022
This article identifies the type and frequency of short-term side effects following 48 hours of the first shot of the chAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in Yemen.
The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the August 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.
Oxana Shevel is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts University and current Vice President of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) and the American Association of Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). Her work explores nation building and identity politics in the post-Soviet region. Her book, Migration, Refugee Policy, and State Building in Postcommunist Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2011) won the American Association for Ukrainian Studies prize for best book in the fields of Ukrainian history, politics, language, literature and culture. Her recent work has focused on the sources of citizenship policies in the post-Communist states, comparative memory politics, and religious politics in Ukraine. With Maria Popova, she is currently writing a book on the root causes of the Russo-Ukrainian war, entitled Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States, scheduled to be released in late 2023. 
