"A key tenet of CDDRL's research agenda is identifying ways to foster democracy, both domestically and around the world," said Mosbacher Director Kathryn Stoner. "The work being done by the Deliberative Democracy Lab (DDL) is intrinsically aligned with our Center's mission. The work that Jim Fishkin and his colleagues have already done is truly unique and field-defining. At CDDRL, we look forward to further building on this outstanding track record to establish the Deliberative Democracy Lab as the global hub for developing, administering, and analyzing deliberative polling. No other university has anything like it."

“We believe the methods of deliberative democracy can help cure the ills of our current politics — in the US and around the world,” shared Fishkin. “This partnership with CDDRL and FSI will give us a new basis for trying to make this happen. We are proud to join the impressive collection of scholars already at work here on issues of democracy and political reform.”

Fishkin, who has been named a Senior Fellow at FSI, will continue to serve as the Lab’s Director alongside Siu as Associate Director, now a Senior Research Scholar at CDDRL. Larry Diamond, the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at FSI, will also continue to be affiliated with the Lab as a faculty collaborator.

“In the United States and around the world, democracies must find new ways to elicit citizen engagement, deeper public participation in policy-making, and reduce toxic levels of political polarization,” said Diamond. “The method of Deliberative Polling that Jim Fishkin and Alice Siu have developed and applied worldwide has demonstrated impressive progress toward these goals, and it has been my honor to collaborate with them.”

Rounding out the team for the newly formed Lab, Tom Schnaubelt, currently Director of the Haas Center for Public Service, will join DDL in a new role as Lecturer and Senior Advisor on Civic Education, effective August 1, 2022. “The Deliberative Democracy Lab is an exciting addition to the work of CDDRL, and as Senior Advisor, Tom Schnaubelt will greatly advance our efforts to promote deliberation and civic engagement among college students,” Diamond added.

Schnaubelt began his tenure at the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University in April 2009 and has been actively involved in developing innovative community engagement programs in higher education settings for nearly two decades. Prior to assuming the role of executive director at the Haas Center for Public Service, Tom served as dean for community engagement and civic learning at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was the founding executive director of Wisconsin Campus Compact, where he provided leadership for a coalition of thirty-four college and university presidents and chancellors committed to the civic purposes of higher education.

“I’ve been increasingly concerned about the fragility of our democracy,” shared Schnaubelt. “I believe that sustaining, strengthening, and perhaps even saving our democracy is a prerequisite to creating a more just and sustainable world. I also believe that universities have a distinct and important role to play in advancing liberal democracy, particularly through the cultivation of democratic knowledge, habits, skills, and dispositions. As I begin this next chapter, I am grateful for the opportunity, and I am thrilled to be able to be a part of Stanford University’s efforts to build a more perfect union.”

As political polarization becomes a more urgent challenge to democracy in the United States and elsewhere, and as a growing number of democratic jurisdictions look for innovative ways to involve the public more meaningfully in decision-making, the demand for Deliberative Polls is increasing. In its new home at CDDRL, the Lab will be able to enhance its capacity to meet growing demands and expand the contributions it can make to both the study and the practice of deliberative democracy.

Mofeed Digest (June 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 | Djibouti | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Kuwait| Lebanon| Libya| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Syria| Tunisia| UAE| Yemen]

MENA

[Back to Top]

Arab States: Overcoming the Fragilities of Governance Systems for Sustainable Recovery
UNDP, Date Unspecified 
This article assesses the fragility of Arab government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides policy recommendations. It discusses how government trust and the perception of the social contract will change due to the citizen-government interaction during the pandemic. 

COVID-19 in the MENA: An Exploration of Gender Sensitive State Responses
Middle East Political Science, Date Unspecified
This article describes how women in the formal sector of MENA economies have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors focus on 3 MENA countries and explore the gendered impacts of the pandemic. 

COVID-19 Responses in the Middle East and North Africa in Global Perspective
Middle East Political Science, Date Unspecified 
This article studies the nature of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), exploring both within-region diversity and between-region variation. It concludes that while the MENA region as a whole is broadly similar to other parts of the world in its COVID response, there are substantial within-region differences in terms of how COVID policies were implemented and to what extent residents were affected by the pandemic and adopted public health behaviors. 

Does COVID-19 Pandemic Spur Digital Business Transformation in the MENA Region? Evidence from Firm Level Data
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper analyzes how the outbreak of COVID-19 in the MENA region affected the accelerating digital transformation in business firms. The results demonstrate a strong association between the pandemic outbreak and digitization. They also show that the firms operating in the service sector were more likely to adopt digital solutions.

Presentation, Management, and Outcome of COVID-19 among Patients with Cancer in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2 June 2022
This article captures data on 1345 patients with cancer to assess SARS-COV-2 infection presentations, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and outcomes in 12 centers in 8 Mena region countries.

Economic and Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nations of the GCC
Global Business and Economics Review, 17 June 2022
This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in GCC countries, especially on the economic and psychosocial level. The article investigates the impact of government support on mitigating the psychological and psychosocial impacts of the pandemic on citizens.

Algeria

[Back to Top]

Impact of COVID-19 Crisis on Energy Consumption and Socio-Spatial Behavior of the Residential Sector in Extreme Climates. Case study Southwest of Algeria
TECHNIUM, 9 June 2022
This article examines the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19 on various forms of energy consumption during confinement in Algeria. The authors focus on the impact of COVID 19 on the energy consumption of electricity, gas, and water in the residential sector.  

The Impact of the COVID-19 Related School Closure on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children with SEN and Their Parents in Algeria
International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 23 June 2022
This study studies and analyzes the experience of twenty-three parents and five children with special educational needs during complete lockdown and limited access to school support in Algeria.

Bahrain

[Back to Top]

Post-Vaccination Outcomes in Association with Four COVID-19 Vaccines in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Scientific Reports, 2 June 2022
This study examines COVID-19 related outcomes derived from Bahraini national database where 4 vaccines were deployed, comparing the 4 vaccines through post-vaccination outcomes. 

Students’ Perception Regarding E-learning During COVID-19 at Bahrain Polytechnic
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 6 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Bahrain Polytechnic to assess students' perspectives towards e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bahrain Ranks First in Post-Pandemic Tourism Recovery Report
National News, 15 June 2022
According to money.co.uk study, Bahrain has been given the highest ranking in tourism recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, at a 95% rate. This ranking indicated that the Gulf nation's 2021 tourist numbers bounced almost all the way back to the 2019 level of 3.8 million.

Djibouti

[Back to Top]

Epidemiology of the First and Second Waves of COVID-19 Pandemic in Djibouti and the Vaccination Strategy Developed for the Response
BMJ Public Health, June 2022
This study examines the epidemiology of the first two covid-19 waves in Djibouti, highlighting mishaps in the National Plan for Introduction and Deployment for COVID-19 vaccines. 

Assessing the Effectiveness of the Djiboutian Government during the COVID-19: Focusing on the Djiboutian Perspective
FigShare, 30 June 2022
This study assesses the Djiboutian government’s effectiveness in combating COVID-19 through studying different indicators like citizen trust in government, government responsiveness and leadership, and COVID-19 information access and accuracy. Results conveyed a strong link between responsiveness and effectiveness. 

Egypt

[Back to Top] 

The Impact of Job Stress on Employee’s Performance at one of Private Banks in Egypt during COVID-19 Pandemic
International Business Research, Date Unspecified 
This article investigates the perception of employees of one of the private banks in Egypt and their performance in the presence of job stress in the uncertain period of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Neurosurgical Practice in Egypt
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery, 7 June 2022
This article examines the impact of lockdown and restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic on neurosurgical cases at two university hospitals in Egypt. Results show that the number of cases has dropped by 38%.

Exenterate or Not: A Simple Proposed Management Algorithm for Mucormycosis During the Era of COVID-19 in a Tertiary Eye Care Center in Egypt
Clinical Ophthalmology, 11 June 2022
This article studies available data of 30 Egyptian patients with post COVID-19 orbital mucormycosis to construct a simple management algorithm for posed cases. 

Egypt Loses $23 Billion from COVID-19, Ukraine Conflict
Egyptian Streets, 21 June 2022
Egypt's Minister of Finance declared during his proposed budget speech that the country had lost 440 EGP, about 23.4 billion dollars due to the Russian-Ukrainian war and the COVID-19 pandemic over the span of the last two years. 

Recovering from COVID-19 Learning Losses
UNICEF, 23 June 2022
This UNICEF article delineates the various challenges that the pandemic has posed for children and their learning in Egypt. The article focuses on marginalized children of color or refugee status and recognizes that despite the progress achieved in the education sector in Egypt, marginalized children are still far behind expectations for their age in literacy. [ARABIC]

Acceptance Rate of COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Predictors in Egypt: An Online Survey
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 30 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a self-administered study conducted on random participants from six different Egyptian governorates to assess the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination among the Egyptian adult population. 

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: an Egyptian Survey Study
Tropical Medicine and Health, 30 June 2022
This article presents a study conducted in 2 Maintenance Hemodialysis centers in Egypt to investigate the level of vaccine acceptance among Egyptian patients with MHD.

Iraq

[Back to Top] 

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Nursing Students of Mosul University, Iraq
Rawal Medical Journal, Date Unspecified 
This article uses a quantitative cross-sectional study to assess the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among nursing students in Mosul city in Iraq.

The Relationship between COVID-19 Fear and Anxiety with the Quality of Life of Students in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Novelty in Clinical Medicine, June 2022
This article examines the link between the fear and anxiety students experience during the pandemic with online learning, and their quality of life. According to intention to be vaccinated, the patients were divided into vaccine acceptant (VA), hesitant (VH), and resistant (VR) groups who comprised 58.3%, 26.5%, and 15.2%, respectively.

Misdiagnosis of COVID-19 Infection before Molecular Confirmation in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq
European Journal of Medical Research, 3 June 2022
This article utilizes a detailed questionnaire to assess the misdiagnosis and mismanagement of COVID-19 cases in Northern Iraq, Kurdistan region. Regarding the false diagnosis of cases, 92% were made by non-physician healthcare workers, and only 8% were made by physicians.

The Role of Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Infection: Impact on Incidence and Severity in Iraq
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 21 June 2022
This article investigates the extent to which influenza vaccinations can mitigate the severity and decrease the frequency of incidence of COVID-19 infections in Iraq. 

Predictors of Mental Health Symptomatology among Kurdish Patients Who Recovered from COVID-19 in Iraq
Discover Psychology, 27 June 2022
This article seeks to determine the mental health symptomatology and its associated factors among Kurdish Iraqis who recovered from COVID-19. It was found that 31.6% of the participating recovered patients with COVID-19 met the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 21.05% were classified with probable depression.

Menstrual Changes Following COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan and Iraq
Plos One, 29 June 2022
This study aimed to investigate and to evaluate menstrual changes in females following COVID-19 infection, and to evaluate female perception about the effect of COVID-19 on their menstrual cycles. Authors conducted the study on 483 women from Jordan and Iraq. 

Postmortem Lung Biopsy for COVID-19 Patients in Iraq
Research Square, 30 June 2022
This article studies the pathophysiological changes that happen to lung tissues in COVID-19 affected individuals and to accurately specify the cause(s) of death. Authors utilized a case series of post-mortem lung histopathology examinations of deceased COVID-19 positive patients in Iraq.

Jordan

[Back to Top] 

User Experience Assessment of a COVID-19 Tracking Mobile Application (AMAN) in Jordan
Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Date Unspecified 
This article examines the user experience of a COVID-19 tracking application in Jordan by getting feedback from users and identifying UX (user experience) based on user interaction.

Short-Term Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 27 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a cross-sectional study of the short-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine to clarify the expected outcome of getting vaccinated and reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Menstrual Changes Following COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan and Iraq
Plos One, 29 June 2022
This study aimed to investigate and to evaluate menstrual changes in females following COVID-19 infection, and to evaluate female perception about the effect of COVID-19 on their menstrual cycles. Authors conducted the study on 483 women from Jordan and Iraq. 

Exploring the Role of Superspreading Events in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks
medRxiv, 29 June 2022
This article presents a study that formulates a Markov chain model to investigate the influence of superspreading events on SARS-COV-2 outbreak dynamics.

Kuwait

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The Effects of COVID-19 School Disruptions Will Last Decades
World Bank, 20 June 2022 
This World Bank blog-post discusses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools and learning in Kuwait. It states the long-term life long losses to their earning, males being affected more tragically than females. [Arabic here]

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection in a Paediatric Cohort in Kuwait
BMJ Open, 28 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a population-level retrospective cohort study to describe the clinical characteristics and dynamics of SARS-COV-2 reinfection in children in Kuwait. Results show that reinfection is uncommon in children. 

Pandemic Price Controls Experiment Goes Seriously Awry in Kuwait
Bloomberg, 29 June 2022 
This Bloomberg article reports on the indiscriminate economic havoc that has risen in Kuwait two years after price control was applied to freeze food costs during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Lebanon

[Back to Top] 

Evaluating the Governance and Preparedness of the Lebanese Health System for the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
BMJ Open, 1 June 2022
This article reports on a qualitative study held in Lebanon aiming to assess the capacity and governance of Lebanon's health system throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The health workforce showed high resilience despite the inadequate training and staff shortages. 

Genomic Surveillance of SARS CoV2 in COVID-19 vaccinated healthcare workers in Lebanon
BioRxiv, 6 June 2022 
This article reports on the findings of a national SARS-COV-2 genomic surveillance among healthcare workers in Lebanon. 

Experience of Field Testing in Lebanon during the COVID-19 Pandemic, January to August 2021
BMJ Global Health, 7 June 2022
This article presents data related to COVID-19 cases after field testing in Lebanon. The article also reflects on challenges faced and lessons learned. 

Risk Markers of COVID-19, a Study from South-Lebanon
MDPI, 27 June 2022
This article aims to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among suspected COVID-19 patients in South Lebanon as well as the risk markers for COVID-19 associated with ABO blood group, Rhesus factor, and patient’s address during the past year.

Libya

[Back to Top] ​

Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Psychological Status of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Outbreak in Libya: A Cross Sectional Study
Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 1 June 2022
This article studies and evaluates levels of knowledge, attitude, perception, and psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Libyan citizens. 

Morocco 

[Back to Top] ​

Dataset to Explore Factors Affecting COVID-19 Vaccination Intention. Evidence from Morocco
Data in Brief, 9 June 2022 
This article identifies the various factors that influenced Moroccan citizens to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  The data were collected using an online questionnaire. 

Depression and Eating Disorders among Health Care Professionals in Morocco during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 8 June 2022
This article reports on the findings of an online anonymous self-administered questionnaire that was conducted on Moroccan healthcare workers to screen for depression and eating disorders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Oman

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Assessing COVID-19 Vaccine’s Acceptability Amongst Health Care Workers in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, 16 June 2022
This article assesses the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among health care workers in Oman. A cross-sectional study using a self- administered questionnaire was conducted among the HCWs in December 2020.

Audit Fees under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Oman
Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 28 June 2022
This article reports on the findings of a study examining the effect of COVID-19 on audit fees after its huge impact on companies' financial statements in Oman. 

Pulmonary Barotrauma in COVID-19 Patients: Experience From a Secondary Care Hospital in Oman
Cureus, 29 June 2022
This article discusses the findings of a retrospective study identifying patients with pulmonary barotrauma and recording their medical data at an Intensive Care Unit in Oman.

Palestine

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COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Its Associated Factors among Palestinian Healthcare Workers: Expectations Beaten by Reality
Vaccine, 9 June 2022
This article presents a cross-sectional study conducted in Palestine to examine the level of vaccination among healthcare workers and its determinants. Key findings show that almost two thirds of Palestinian healthcare workers have already received their vaccine. 

Health Consequences of University Employees Post COVID-19 Vaccination at Palestinian University
Research Square, 14 June 2022
This article examines health consequences of Palestinian university workers receiving their COVID-19 vaccination, aiming to decrease vaccination hesitancy and provide more adequate input on its side effects.

Vaccine Apartheid and Settler Colonial Sovereign Violence: From Palestine to the Colonial Global Economy
Distinktion Journal of Social Theory, 14 June 2022
This article adopts a decolonial lens to assess the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Palestine and globally. It challenges the underlying premise being that the advanced, wealthy, and capable nation-states have endogenously earned the position of power and prosperity and that the world’s poor nation-states are posited as the recipients of charity from these rich states only after the latter have sufficiently inoculated themselves.

The Impact of the Corona Pandemic on the Performance of Palestinian Commercial Banks Listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange
Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 30 June 2022
This article studies a sample of 6 companies from the banking sector in Palestine to shed light on the Palestinian stock exchange before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Qatar

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Predictive Ability of Factors in diagnosing COVID-19: Experiences from Qatar's Primary Care Settings
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2022 
This article aims to establish the predictive ability of demographic and clinical factors in diagnosing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Qatar's publicly funded primary care settings.

Duration of mRNA Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 Subvariants in Qatar
Nature Communications, 2 June 2022
This article investigates the duration of protection of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines after the second dose and after the third/booster dose, against symptomatic COVID-19 infections in Qatar.

Qatar: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Rand Blog, 9 June 2022
This article presents an overview of the Qatari experience in combating the coronavirus pandemic. It references Qatar's strict contact tracking and tracing policy, the launching of a vaccination campaign in December 2020, and media campaigns that promote awareness of the importance of taking preventive measures and getting the vaccine as important steps in the state’s pandemic response.

Qatar Airways Bounces Back from Pandemic with Record Revenues and Profits
Forbes, 16 June 2022
This Forbes article discusses the efforts, resilience and trajectory of Qatar Airways in emerging from the coronavirus pandemic. It references a sharp uptick in annual revenues to QR52.3 billion ($14.4 billion).  

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance among the Public in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of the Literature
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 29 June 2022
This article aims to provide an up-to-date evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the public in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Saudi Arabia

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Factors Related to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Saudi Arabia
Public Health in Practice, June 2022
This article presents the findings of a cross-sectional study aiming to assess the amount of vaccine hesitancy and its determinants in relation to various demographic, social, and personal characteristics among the Saudi population.

A Nationwide Survey to Assess COVID-19’s Impact on Health and Lifestyle in Saudi Arabia
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Science, June 2022 
This article aims to assess the COVID-19 related knowledge and its socio-demographic correlates in individuals from different parts of Saudi Arabia and to evaluate the health-related impact and lifestyle changes in the Saudi population because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also determines the perceived importance of future preparedness among residents. 

Characteristics of Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients in the Al-Ahsa Region of Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study with Survival Analysis
Annals of Saudi Medicine, 2 June 2022
This article seeks to identify the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in Al-Ahsa region in Saudi Arabia. 

Psychological Distress Reported by Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
PLOS ONE, 3 June 2022
This article estimates the prevalence and severity of psychological distress and studies predisposing risk factors among healthcare workers in KSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 1,985 HCWs from 6 hospitals across the country designated with caring for COVID-19 patients.

Side Effects and Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccination in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Frontiers in Medicine, 7 June 2022
This article assesses the side effects and perceptions about COVID-19 vaccines among adults following vaccination in Saudi Arabia.

Factors Affecting Online Learning, Stress and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 10 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a study investigating the factors affecting online learning (OL) and stress and anxiety (SaA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

Voluntary Testing for COVID-19: Perceptions and Utilization among the Inhabitants of Saudi Arabia
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives, 10 June 2022
This article investigates the perceptions and utilization of Voluntary Testing services for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia. In total, 3,510 adult participants from all provinces of Saudi Arabia were recruited via a national online survey.

Types of Variants Among Increased Cases of COVID-19 in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia in June 2021
Cureus, 16 June 2022
This article seeks to identify the types and distribution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants causing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the western region in Saudi Arabia in June 2021.

Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Illness Outcomes in a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia
International Journal of General Medicine, 27 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a retrospective study that presents the demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of patients at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia and determines risk factors contributing to their COVID-19 outcome.

Somalia

[Back to Top] ​

Pumping Oxygen into Somalia’s Health System as Part of COVID-19 Response
World Bank, 6 June 2022
This article reviews the response of Somalia to the coronavirus pandemic in the light of the amalgamation of crises facing the country. The article acknowledges that unlike many countries, Somalia was dealing with multiple threats of crises: locusts, drought, flooding, COVID-19 in addition to the country’s fragility, after decades of war and political instability.

Sudan

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Mental Health Status of High School Students in Khartoum State, Sudan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
BJPsych Open, 20 June 2022 
This article aims to assess the mental health status of high school students in Khartoum State, to evaluate the participants’ adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and to identify factors associated with commitment to COVID-19 guidelines and mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Syria

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Syndromic Surveillance of Respiratory Infections during Protracted Conflict: Experiences from Northern Syria 2016-2021
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2022 
This article investigates the trends of Early Warning and Response Network (EWARN) reported ILI (influenza-like illness) and SARI (severe acute respiratory illness) in northern Syria between 2016 and 2021 and the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2.

Addressing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Refugee Health
PLOS Medicine, 27 June 2022
This article discusses the disparity in the experience of the pandemic between refugees and citizens and focuses on Syrian refugees.  It acknowledges that refugees are often blamed by governments and members of the public for infectious disease epidemics and states that they may experience elevated risks of infectious diseases like COVID-19 through no fault of their own.

Tunisia

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Students’ perceptions of distance education during a Covid-19 pandemic in Tunisia
International Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies, June 2022
This article uncovers the perceptions of university students regarding the use of distant learning tools and techniques during the spread of COVID-19, by exploring their experiences during containment. 

COVID-19’s Impact on Tunisia
The Borgen Project, 1 June 2022
This article discusses the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tunisia, exploring different indicators such as GDP, tourism, retail and agriculture. 

COVID-19 and Gender-Based Violence: Pandemic Response and Impact on Civil Society in Tunisia
Project on Middle East Political Science, 16 June 2022
This working paper argues that CSOs made progress in combatting violence during the first year of the pandemic due to political openness, a culture of coalitions, and bipartisan support for eliminating violence against women. However, the President’s power grab and subsequent political instability led to a breakdown in coalition culture and a stifling of civil society, making it harder for feminist organizations to advocate for GBV protections. The paper draws on pre-pandemic ethnographic data and international and Tunisian news articles, polling data, statistics, and reporting during the pandemic.

UAE

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Association between Quality of Sleep and Screen Time during the COVID-19 Outbreak among Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates
Journal of Sleep Research, 7 June 2022 
This article aims to investigate the association between screen time on different electronic devices and sleep quality among adolescents in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV Vaccine Against Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Nature Communications, 9 June 2022
This article aims to study the effectiveness of the inactivated BBIBP-CorV vaccine against severe COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization, critical care admission and death due to COVID-19) and its long-term effectiveness in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

Yemen

[Back to Top] ​

Adult Mortality before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nine Communities of Yemen: A Key Informant Study
medRxiv, 21 June 2022
This article aims to estimate population mortality during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in nine purposively selected urban and rural communities of southern and central Yemen (Aden and Ta’iz governorates).

Mofeed Digest (May 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 | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Kuwait| Lebanon| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Tunisia| UAE]

MENA

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Population’s Behavior toward COVID-19 Safety Measures: Evidence from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia
Agence Française de Développement, May 2022
This article captures the public’s behavior toward COVID-19 safety measures in each of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. In all these countries, the article found that women are those who mostly observe the safety measures.

Social Safety Nets and Food Insecurity in MENA in the Time of COVID-19
Agence Française de Développement, May 2022
This article assesses the efficiency of social safety nets in the MENA region in mitigating food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides context for the chronic undernourishment of over 50 million people in the region in 2019.

A Billionaire’s World: Labor, Loss, and Inequality in the Middle East and North Africa During COVID
Harvard International Review, 4 May 2022
This article focuses on the MENA region in juxtaposing the global spike of 3.9 trillion USD in billionaires’ wealth during the first year of the pandemic with the parallel loss of 3.7 trillion USD in workers’ assets.

Diverging Levels of COVID-19 Governmental Response Satisfaction Across Middle Eastern Arab Countries: A Multinational Study
BMC Public Health, 5 May 2022
This article evaluates and compares public opinion on the governmental measures to control the spread of COVID-19 of high, low and middle-income countries in the Middle East. When benchmarked with international levels of satisfaction, GCC countries scored highly whereas Lebanon scored poorly. 

Tracking COVID-19 Urban Activity Changes in the Middle East from Nighttime Lights
Scientific Reports, 16 May 2022
This article utilizes nighttime lights data from NASA from 584 urban areas to track the implementation and adherence to curfew and lockdown measures in 17 MENA countries during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Algeria

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The Geometrization of the COVID-19 Care Offer for the ORSEC Plan in Algeria
Algerian Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Date Unspecified 
This article utilizes several scientific tools to examine the readiness of different Algerian provinces to face the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intention to Get COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Associated Predictors: A Cross-Sectional Study Among the General Public in Algeria
Science Direct, 13 May 2022 
This article presents the results of an online survey conducted to assess the intentions to receive the Covid-19 vaccine among the Algerian population. Out of a total of 656 participants, 51.1% were in favor of COVID-19 vaccines while 18.5% and 30.5% were against or hesitant respectively.

Side Effects of COVID-19 Inactivated Virus vs. Adenoviral Vector Vaccines: Experience of Algerian Healthcare Workers
Frontiers in Public Health, 16 May 2022
This article evaluates side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in a sample of 721 Algerian healthcare workers. Most common self-reported side effects were injection site pain, arm pain, fatigue, fever, headache and myalgia. 

Food Behavior of the Algerian Population at the Time of the COVID-19: The First Survey Carried Out in the Western Algerian Region
South Asian Journal, 28 May 2022
This article sheds light on the Algerian population's food habits during the pandemic through an observational and descriptive epidemiological study conducted on 640 individuals.

Bahrain

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Comparative Modelling of Stock Price Volatility Before and During the COVID- 19 Pandemic in Bahrain: Implications to the Effect of the Pandemic to Stock Price Autocorrelation
Diamond Scientific Publishing, Date Unspecified  
This article studies the volatility of stock prices before and during the pandemic in Bahrain. It found that the weekly price movements of the BAX index were more volatile during the pandemic than before its onset.

The Effect of Age, Gender and Comorbidities Upon SARS-CoV-2 Spike Antibody Induction After Two Doses of Sinopharm Vaccine and the Effect of a Pfizer/BioNtech Booster Vaccine
Frontiers in Immunology, 30 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a study that evaluated antibody levels in 379 Bahraini individuals to assess the effect of a COVID-19 booster dose. The authors hoped that their study would help develop a triple dose vaccination strategy to ensure protective immunity against COVID-19.

Egypt

[Back to Top] 

Impact of COVID-19 on Cardiothoracic Surgery: Experience of Alexandria (Egypt) Main University Hospital
Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, 23 May 2022
This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the workflow and waiting lists of high-cost Cardiothoracic surgeries in Egypt. It found that cardiac surgeries have witnessed the worst consequences, including cancellation of all surgeries, expansion of waiting lists, and patients' non-compliance with follow-up.

Iraq

[Back to Top] 

Trends in COVID-19: Incidence, mortality, and case fatality in Iraq
Saudi Medical Journal, May 2022
This article reports the findings of a biometric study conducted in 2021 to help detect the epidemiological trend of COVID-19 in Iraq, the distribution of cases according to age, gender, and geographic distribution. The authors also examined morbidity and mortality rates to evaluate the intensity of the COVID-19 burden on the Iraqi healthcare system.

Jordan

[Back to Top] 

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Jordanian Households and Firms: Findings from the ERF Covid-19 Monitor in Jordan 
Economic Research Forum, May 2022
ERF and FCDO collaborated to conduct short panel phone surveys aiming to assess how Jordanian households, firms, micro firms, and workers cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Attitude of Pregnant and Lactating Women toward COVID-19 Vaccination in Jordan: a Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 3 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a study conducted with pregnant and lactating women in Jordan to determine their stances towards the COVID-19 vaccine and understand their varying attitudes. 

COVID-19 Epidemiology and Changes in Health Service Utilization in Azraq and Zaatari Refugee Camps in Jordan: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Plos Medicine, 10 May 2022
This article utilized observational programmatic data to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Jordan, and at two refugee camps Zaatari and Azraq specifically. The authors analyzed the difference in routine health services pre and post COVID-19. 

Conception Preferences during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns
Behavioral Sciences, 13 May 2022
This article focused on women in Jordan to study their insights regarding fertility, the preparedness to use assisted reproductive technology, and the awareness and beliefs related to conceiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kuwait

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School Is Closed : Simulating the Long-Term Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic–Related School Disruptions in Kuwait
World Bank, 5 May 2022
This working paper tackles the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent educational disruptions on students in Kuwait. It found that during the pandemic, students in Kuwait faced significant reductions in their lifetime income, with males facing a larger reduction than females.

COVID-19 Outcomes Among Rheumatic Disease Patients in Kuwait: Data from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance (C19-GRA) Physician Registry
International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 11 May 2022
This article assesses the characteristics of inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD) patients in Kuwait diagnosed with COVID-19 and the factors linked with hospitalization, complications, and mortality.

Lebanon

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Lebanon: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Rand Corporation, 6 May 2022 
This blog-post from The Rand Blog identifies challenges in COVID-19 responses faced by Lebanon amid the current political and economic crises. The authors also highlights the country’s successes and innovations in combating those challenges. 

Too Much to Mask: Determinants of Sustained Adherence to COVID-19 Preventive Measures Among older Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
MedRxiv, 10 May 2022 
This article studies the determinants of adherence of two non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 preventive measures in Lebanon: masking-up and social distance.  The study focused on Syrian refugees in Lebanon aging 50 and older. 

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Economic Crisis on Lebanese Public Health: from Food insecurity to Healthcare Disintegration
Ethics, Medicine and Public Health, 16 May 2022
This article reviews the impact of the economic crisis in Lebanon and the pandemic's effect on health and healthcare. The study looked at measures such as food insecurity, water shortages, hospital and medication crises, labor force issues, and electricity and fuel shortages. 

Development of a Quality Assurance Tool for Intensive Care Units in Lebanon during the COVID-19 Pandemic
International Journal for Quality in Healthcare, 31 May 2022
This article was motivated by the fact that the World Health Organization has supported the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health to increase ICU beds at public hospitals by 300%, without having a readily available tool to monitor the quality of ICU care. Therefore, the authors describe the process of rapidly developing and implementing a tool to monitor the quality of ICU care at public hospitals in Lebanon.

Morocco 

[Back to Top] ​

Real-world study of the effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccine in the Kingdom of Morocco
medRxiv, 27 April 2022 
This article discusses the findings of a case control study that was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Sinopharm vaccine in Morocco. The results were in agreement with the literature showing it was highly protective against serious and critical hospitalization. 

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Morocco: Applying the Health Belief Model
Vaccines, 16 May 2022
This article presents an analysis of a cross-sectional survey completed by 3800 individuals to identify the factors that influenced the population in Morocco to receive the vaccine. Authors show that the strongest predictor for the intention of receiving a vaccine is whether a participant is married.

Role of Instagram on the Purchasing Behavior of Moroccan Consumers during the COVID-19
International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 31 May 2022
This article delineates the factors that influenced the purchasing habits of Moroccans during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigates the way Instagram specifically shaped these behaviors. It presents the results of a survey taken among 200 Instagram using consumers.

Oman

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Psychological Effects of, and Compliance with, Self-Isolation among COVID-19 Patients in South Batinah Governorate, Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 8 May 2022
This article investigates the extent to which COVID-19 patients complied with self-isolation policies. It also examines the psychological effects of self-isolation on patients in Oman.

The Impact and Challenges of Education and Administration in VET on Economic Growth in Oman During the COVID-19 Period
Frontiers in Psychology, 16 May 2022
This article aims to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic growth and the impact of institutional management and education on Vocational Education and Training schools in Oman. 

Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of COVID-19 in a Primary Care Center in the South Batinah Region of Oman
Cureus, 18 May 2022
This article reviews the medical charts of 150 patients at Rustaq Polyclinic in South Oman to identify the clinical and biomedical profile of the coronavirus disease and variations across demographic groups.

Palestine

[Back to Top] ​

Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies Among Vaccinated and Non-Vaccinated Adults in the West Bank: Results of a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
medRxiv, 16 May 2022
This article discusses the findings of an assessment of the seroprevalence rate among a random sample of Palestinians residing in the West Bank region. The authors reveal a drastic rise in seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies due to infection and vaccination.

UNRWA Releases Health Programme Report: Innovation in the Face of Covid-19 – Press Release
United Nations, 24 May 2022
This UNRWA report examines the situation of Palestinian refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic against the backdrop of the hostilities in Gaza, the ongoing war in Syria, and the economic/social/political crisis in Lebanon.

Qatar

[Back to Top] ​

Effectiveness of Ehteraz Digital Contact Tracing App versus Conventional Contact Tracing in Managing the Outbreak of COVID-19 in the State of Qatar
BMJ Innovations, 3 May 2022
This article uses two databases to evaluate the accuracy of Ehteraz (the Qatari app for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic) as a tracing tool and compares its effectiveness to that of the traditional human led case investigation. 

Effect of mRNA Vaccine Boosters against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection in Qatar
The New England Journal of Medicine, 12 May 2022
This article conducted two retrospective studies in Qatar to examine the effectiveness of a booster vaccination, compared to the usual two dose vaccination, in preventing SARS-COV-2 infection and serious COVID-19 hospitalization and death.

Flu Vaccine Could Cut COVID Risk
Nature, 12 May 2022
This article reports that influenza vaccines were effective in preventing COVID-19 according to a study held on more than 30,000 healthcare workers in Qatar.

Predictors of Mortality and Morbidity in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: An Experience from a Low Mortality Country
Health Sciences Report, 17 May 2022
This article studies the clinical characteristics and factors associated with mortality in patients admitted to intensive care units in Qatar. They found that these rates were lower in Qatar compared to other countries. 

The Association between Tobacco Use and COVID-19 in Qatar
Preventive Medicine Reports, 19 May 2022
This article studies the association between tobacco usage and COVID-19 hospitalization cases.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown “Home Quarantine” on the Physical Activity and Lifestyle of Children in Qatar
Frontiers in Public Health, 25 May 2022  
This article presents the results of a cross-sectional online survey distributed in Qatar to assess the impact of quarantine on physical activity, screen time, sleep, and diet in children aging 5 to 12.

Saudi Arabia

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Fractional-Order Coronavirus Models with Vaccination Strategies Impacted on Saudi Arabia's Infections
AIMS Mathematics, Date Unspecified  
This article highlights the role of fractional calculus models in describing the growth of COVID-19 dynamics in Saudi Arabia over the span of 107 days. 

Post-Acute COVID-19 Condition in Saudi Arabia: A National Representative Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, May 2022
This article presents a retrospective cross-sectional study characterizing the symptoms that appear after SARS-COV-2 infection in Saudi Arabia. The article also determines the relationship of the different “post-symptoms” with COVID-19 severity. 

Clinical Characteristics, Laboratory Findings, Management, and Outcome of Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Children at a Tertiary Care Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study
Frontiers in Pediatrics, 3 May 2022
This article investigates the clinical features of COVID-19 infected children, and discusses the therapeutic methods used in their treatment in Saudi Arabia. It analyzes data on children with COVID-19, including demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, imaging and laboratory results, therapies, and clinical outcomes.

Perceived Stress and Resilience Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Critical Care Nurses in Saudi Arabia: A Correlational Cross-Sectional Study
PeerJ, 6 May 2022
This article studies the level of stress of nurses working in critical care units fighting directly against COVID-19. Although COVID-19 cases had declined significantly during the study period in Saudi Arabia, the majority of nurses were still experiencing moderate to high levels of stress about the epidemic, but were, at the same time, moderately resilient.

Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Disturbances Associated With the COVID-19 Outbreak in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Cureus, 9 May 2022
This article assesses the occurrence of sleep disturbance associated with the spread of COVID-19 among residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It also discusses the psychological effects of the outbreak. 

Effect of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Epidemic in Saudi Arabia
Plos Global Public Health, 9 May 2022
This article reports on a study of the relation between non-pharmaceutical interventions (such as masking and lockdowns etc…) and SARS-COV-2 transmission in Saudi Arabia during its first pandemic wave. 

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Residents of Saudi Arabia
Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13 May 2022
This article studies stress levels and their determinants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The authors report that 35.4% of participants suffered from moderate or severe psychological impact, 19.7% had a mild psychological impact, whereas 44.9% reported minimal psychological impact. 

How Students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are Coping with COVID-19 Pandemic
Journal of Public Health Research, 16 May 2022
This article sheds light on the coping mechanisms adopted by higher education students in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results reveal that the 4 most frequent strategies were: seeking social support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian engagement. 

Stress Perception among Dental Practitioners in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Sigma Vitae, 18 May 2022
This article reports the stress levels among dentists in Saudi Arabia after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Overall dental practitioners are at moderate stress levels; among them, males, private practitioners, and dentists above 50 years of age exhibited more stress, whereas graduates had the least stress scores.

A Remaining Piece of the COVID-19 Puzzle: Saudi Arabia’s Remittances Account
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, 30 May 2022
This paper assesses the behavioral shift and trend break in remittance outflows from Saudi Arabia which is ranked among the top 5 countries in remittance worldwide. It contextualizes the change within the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Knowledge Levels of Acceptance and Hesitancy of COVID-19 Vaccine Among General Population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Medicine and Pharmacology, 31 May 2022
This article examines the knowledge levels of acceptance and hesitancy of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine among the population of Saudi Arabia. 

Somalia

[Back to Top] ​

Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Somalia’s Businesses
World Bank, 5 May 2022
This World Bank blog-post discusses the COVID-19 related sections of the WB Somalia Economic Update.

Sudan

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Women Mental Health Status and Behaviour Change during the COVID-19 in Sudan
Heliyon, May 2022
This article discusses the results of a questionnaire assessing women's roles during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khartoum, Sudan. It also tackles changes in their mental health. 

Face Mask Practice and Technique During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nonrepresentative Cross-Sectional Study in Sudan
Patient Preference and Adherence, 3 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a cross-sectional study conducted among Sudanese aged 18 and older to assess face mask wearing practice during the COVID-19 pandemic among the Sudanese population. 

Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on Migrants in Eastern Sudan
DTM, 15 May 2022
This report examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of migrants’ life in Sudan.

Widespread Cynicism About COVID-19 Vaccines In Sudan
SMEX, 26 May 2022
This article highlights the governmental and non-governmental responses in Sudan to counter vaccine and COVID-19 misinformation online.

Tunisia

[Back to Top] ​

Phylogenetic and Amino Acid Signature Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2s Lineages Circulating in Tunisia
Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 10 May 2022
This article identifies SARS-COV-2 lineages in Tunisia and explores their genetic characteristics. The researchers captured a total of 335 mutations. 

UAE

[Back to Top] ​

Vaccine Side Effects Following COVID-19 Vaccination Among the Residents of the UAE—An Observational Study
Frontiers in Public Health, 6 May 2022
This article aims to investigate the nature, difference, and severity of COVID-19 vaccines’ side effects.

The Psychological Distress and COVID-19 Pandemic during Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study from United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Heliyon, 13 May 2022
This article evaluates the psychological impact of COVID-19 related lockdown measures on UAE residents. It concludes that the lockdown more psychologically impacted males, older people, and unemployed individuals during the pandemic.

Investigation of Factors Affecting COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Communities of Universities in the United Arab Emirates
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 20 May 2022 
This article investigates the impact of various factors on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in 5 universities across UAE. 

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic and Related Vaccination in an Orthopedic Clinic in the United Arab Emirates: An Observational Study
Frontiers in Surgery, 31 May 2021
This article explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination on individuals fighting musculoskeletal disorders in the UAE.

Scheibler and Skreta are part of a cohort of ten graduating CDDRL honors students who have spent the past year working in consultation with CDDRL-affiliated faculty members and attending honors research workshops to develop their theses projects. Collectively, their topics documented some of the most pressing issues impacting democracy today in the US, India, Mexico, and Spain, among others.

"We are very proud of the CDDRL honors class of 2022," shared Didi Kuo, Senior Research Scholar and Associate Director for Research at CDDRL. "These students began their thesis projects remotely and were able to conduct research on important topics while also managing their return to campus and ongoing COVID disruptions. Their diverse intellectual backgrounds and thesis subjects reflect the talents and passions of our honors students."

CDDRL's Fisher Family Honors Program trains students from any academic department at Stanford to prepare them to write a policy-relevant research thesis with global impact on a subject touching on democracy, development, and the rule of law. Honors students participate in research methods workshops, attend honors college in Washington, D.C., connect to the CDDRL research community, and write their thesis in close consultation with a faculty advisor to graduate with a certificate of honors in democracy, development, and the rule of law.

A list of the 2022 graduating class of CDDRL honors students, their thesis advisors, and thesis titles can be found here.

The research proposes four alternative scenarios for the state’s future and provides policy options:

Scenario 1: California Technocracy
Administrative state grows in size and authority

After a series of crises including rampant homelessness, water shortages, earthquakes, wildfires, and floods that required invoking emergency powers, Californias citizens delegate more authority to elected officials. Direct democracy is regarded as a relic of the Progressive Era, a corruptible process subject to the capture of special interests. Californians support reforms for more independent, technocratic governance and decision-making at the state and local levels. Silicon Valley works to make the California civil service more skilled at every level, but as local media sources dwindle and as Californians increasingly rely on the state for services and information, hints of an authoritarian government spread.

As California's state administration grows, new regulatory agencies are established to combat climate change, expand charter and private school options, and supervise the states healthcare system. Along with this development, the governors power extends, and the new agencies are run by political appointees under their direct control. A united legislature reforms CEQA to limit its scope and impact, and raises the signature thresholds for recalls and elections. Although things get done, some groups argue that California has become a technocracy uninformed by and unresponsive to popular concerns.

Scenario 2: Government Rethought
Governance reforms bring a wave of state action and development

Following a succession of crises, a New Public Compact streamlines government decision-making processes. New election financing laws ensure public involvement while reducing veto points. The government funds nonprofit organizations to mobilize the entire community, strengthens the local media, and holds well-attended deliberative polls to engage the public. Reforms lead to a boom in public works and private property development. Through the referendum process, Californians rethink Proposition 13 and develop a new system for property taxes and graduated income taxes.

Silicon Valley and public schools across California work to improve the technical competence of the civil service and to develop exciting online tools to engage the public. California undergoes a set of reforms and overhauls similar to the New Deal, and local communities build out their information infrastructures, including local media, to connect residents with local resources and services. Californians become increasingly informed about the democratic process as more reform options become available, and their engagement increases through political activism.

Scenario 3: California Vetocracy
Supporting status quo with limited information yet increased direct participation

In California's crisis-ridden landscape, voters are frantic to fix government, making progressive era direct democracy increasingly popular. As veto points increase in state decision-making, so does the difficulty in making significant decisions and developments. Due to the loss of newspapers and media outlets, the public knows little about government. Small groups of reformers become powerful as they use direct democracy to propose one partially thought-out initiative after another. NIMBYism and narrow interests are fueled by CEQA, which applies to every government and private action. Recalls of elected officials increase significantly throughout the state. Each governor faces recall attempts. At all levels, the civil service is weak, poorly paid, untrained, and overwhelmed by the chaos it faces. Trust in government spirals downward.

The California State Supreme Court finally rules against SB 9, which restricted local control over housing developments, and settles the matter for the time being. In response to crisis situations, decisive action is episodic, with one movement after another that leads to new initiatives or recalls, but to no real results. Despite greater local control and increased direct citizen participation, access to information continues to rely on online, national news sources. In the absence of local and community information, misinformation flourishes about the effectiveness and impact of veto points.

Scenario 4: Burbclave California
Local governments demand control for governance over statewide leadership

There is a local demand for action in response to California's environmental, housing, and other crises, in concert with a strengthening of citizen participation. The burbclave movement arises as local communities start demanding greater local control and authority to cope with statewide problems like affordable housing, access to healthcare, and strong education. Through reform of Proposition 13, local governments gain more control over public actions and state finances.

As local control becomes more prevalent throughout the state, local and community media outlets emphasize the immediate benefits of locally-driven solutions. Some communities have solved the housing crisis, water crisis, and other crises, but the solutions are limited to those communities. Additionally, some communities become exasperated when their residents feel they have to participate so much, and residents become burned out due to constant information. Local decisions are usually determined by those with the loudest voices. Some communities flourish, but others struggle to solve issues, particularly poorer communities with limited resources. Consequently, their public infrastructure, safety, and educational systems suffer. Some people can solve this problem with gated communities, private schools, private roads, and private policing, but others who lack resources suffer from bad roads, inadequate housing, and poor schools.

The researchers at CDDRL propose the following policy alternatives for the future:

• Policy reforms to improve the transparency and adjudication of CEQA disputes and litigation. 
• Reforms that will better empower California's elected representatives to take action to address the state's challenges.

Bennon notes that “it has long been recognized that CEQA has a dual purpose in both protecting the environment and promoting informed self-government in California. As we evaluate CEQA practices and policy alternatives today, we should do so against those two original goals of the law.”

Discussing the policy alternatives, Fukuyama adds that “the decline of local media creates particular problems for local participation, and needs to be bolstered if citizen civic capacity is to evolve to meet the state’s governance needs.”

“After months of diligent research by our partners across the state, we are excited to share their findings with the public to kickstart a conversation about the policy options we can take to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable California,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, PhD, executive director of California 100. “Our research partners engaged a diverse group of stakeholders in their work and it will take all of them and all of us to take this work and make it actionable today – to influence tomorrow.”

California 100, incubated at the University of California and Stanford University, released today its next three policy and scenario reports focusing on the future of health and wellness, immigrant integration, and public safety in the golden state. In July, California 100 announced grants to 18 centers and institutes across California to examine future scenarios with the potential to shape California’s leadership in the coming century, with a focus on 13 priority research areas (listed below). In March, California 100 released its first four policy and scenario reports focused on the future of advanced technology, energy, housing, and transportation. 

These research reports were produced as part of California 100’s research stream of work led by Henry E. Brady, PhD, Director of Research for California 100, current professor, and former Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy. 
California 100 announced its diverse and intergenerational Commission in October and its Advisory Council in December. California 100’s core mission is to strengthen California’s ability to collectively solve problems and shape our long-term future—through research, policy innovation, advanced technology, and engagement—by identifying, mobilizing, and supporting champions for innovative and equitable solutions.

Mofeed Digest (April 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 | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Kuwait| Lebanon| Libya| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Syria| Tunisia| UAE]

MENA

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Reality Check : Forecasting Growth in the Middle East and North Africa in Times of Uncertainty 
World Bank, 11 April 2022 
This World Bank report projects an uncertain and uneven recovery in the MENA region. [ARABIC]

The Geopolitics of the North African Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic: Opportunities and Challenges 
Journal of International Women’s Studies, 15 April 2022 
This article examines the response of the North African countries to the pandemic, the opportunities and the challenges facing the region, and the lessons learned in order to be better prepared for impending crises.

Khalid Abu-Ismail on the Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty and Food Insecurity in the Arab Region 
Economic Research Forum, 19 April 2022 
In this video, Khalid Abu-Ismail, senior economist at the UN’s Economic and Social Commission to West Asia (ESCWA), discusses the role of ESCWA in mitigating the impacts of the pandemic and how to build on existing social protection networks to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on food insecurity. 

Attitudes Towards Mask Wearing in MENA: The Impact of Gender and Education 
Wilson Center, 20 April 2022 
This Wilson Center article analyzes respondents’ opinions on their risk of contracting the virus, preparedness for preventing its spread, and level of responsibility to protect themselves and others. The findings suggest that within their education, age, and marital status groups, women more frequently report mask-wearing and taking actions to prevent the spread of the virus.

UNHCR MENA COVID-19 Year-End Report (January-December 2021) 
UNHCR, 20 April 2022  
This is the end of year report from the UNHCR for the MENA region which offers a holistic overview of the region’s situation vis-a-vis the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. It presents major regional developments, key figures and important achievements. 

COVID-19, Economic Problems, and Family Relationships in Eight Middle East and North African Countries 
Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Sciences, 29 April 2022 
This article assesses the reported family relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic and the association between these relationships and individual, interpersonal, and country-level income in eight Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. Family relationships improved or remained unchanged for those who tested positive for COVID-19 and did not improve for those who lost wages or lost someone due to COVID-19.

Algeria

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Diversity Impact on Vaccine Equity in Algeria 
Minority Rights Group, 4 April 2022 
The Minority Rights Group conducted research on the impact of language and ethnicity on COVID-19 vaccine confidence among indigenous Amazigh communities in Algeria. This report provides a brief analysis of the monitoring efforts from January 2021 (the beginning of the vaccine campaign in Algeria) to March 2022. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) and Its Drivers in Algeria: National Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study 
Vaccines, 15 April 2022 
This article studies COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance and its associated factors in the general population in Algeria. The study utilized social media platforms to distribute an online self-administered questionnaire for vaccinated Algerian citizens.

Bahrain

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Safety and Immunogenicity of COVID-19 BBIBP-CorV Vaccine in Children 3-12 Years Old 
Vaccines, 11 April 2022 
This article evaluates the reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of BBIBP-CorV, prior to involving this age group in the vaccination program in the kingdom of Bahrain.

Perceptions of Medical Students on Distance Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Bahrain 
Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 21 April 2022 
This article explores medical students’ views of online learning during this pandemic at the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain. The authors also analyze the association between students’ perceptions and certain demographic and institutional factors.

Egypt

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Central Bank Of Egypt's Measures to Offset the Impact of COVID-19 
Central Bank of Egypt, April 2022 
This document from Egypt’s Central Bank lays out state measures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. 

Modeling COVID-19 Effects on SDGs Using System Dynamics in Egypt 
Environmental Sciences and Pollution Research, 5 April 2022 
To address the challenges imposed by the coronavirus pandemic on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a thorough examination of the pandemic’s influence on four SDGs in Egypt is presented in a system dynamic model. The model predicts declining poverty, decreasing percentage of food insecurity, rising growth rates, and declining GHG emissions.

Egyptian Small and Medium Sized Enterprises’ Battle against COVID-19 Pandemic: March – July 202 
Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, 11 April 2022 
This article investigates the effect of the pandemic on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt and how they reacted to the outbreak. It suggests that practical measurements should not only provide first aid to start-ups by alleviating the pressure caused by constrained cash flow but also consider long-term measures embedded in and supported by the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem to ensure start-ups rapid recovery and growth.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Perceptions Among Dental Teaching Staff of a Governmental University in Egypt 
Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association, 21 April 2022 
This study aimed to assess vaccine acceptance and its determinants among a group of dental teaching staff in Egypt. At the time of conducting this study (August 2021–October 2021), less than half of the participating dental teaching staff in the studied Egyptian university were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Infection and Severity of COVID-19 Infection among Health Care Workers: A Report from Egypt 
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets, 25 April 2022 
This article aims to determine the percentage of COVID-19 infection and risk factors associated and predictors of COVID-19 among health care workers in Assiut University Hospital. It concludes that healthcare workers are at-risk for severe COVID-19 infection.

Iraq

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The Passage of Time in Iraq during the COVID-19 Pandemic 
PLoS One, 14 April 2022 
This article studies the pandemic’s impact on the subjective speed at which people feel like time is passing. It explores experiences of the passage of time in Iraq. An online questionnaire was used to explore the passage of time during the day, week, and the 11 months since the first period of COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in Iraq.

Iraq Pulse: Unrest amid the COVID-19 Pandemic 
Arab Barometer, 19 April 2022 
This ArabBarometer article describes Iraqi attitudes vis-à-vis living conditions and other metrics amid the pandemic. The findings of this survey display public discontent over political life, dissatisfaction with education and health systems and economic performances, and concerns about civil liberties.

COVID-19 Vaccine Inequities and Hesitancy in Iraq 
World Bank, 28 April 2022 
Starting in August 2020, the World Bank collaborated with the World Food Program (WFP) and implemented nine (9) rounds of the Iraq High Frequency Phone Survey (IHFPS) as part of the WFP’s monthly mVAM survey. This brief presents findings on COVID-19 vaccination disparities and hesitancy from the last three rounds of the IHFPS.

Jordan

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Study of Climatology Parameters on COVID-19 Outbreak in Jordan 
Environmental Earth Sciences, 4 April 2022  
This research aims to study the association between the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in the three major cities of Jordan, namely Amman, Zarqa, and Irbid, and climate indicators to include the average daily temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, pressure, and the concentration of four pollutants (CO, NO2, PM10, and SO2). It was concluded that the multiple linear regression and feedforward artificial neural network could forecast the COVID-19 confirmed cases in the case studies; Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa.

Assessment of COVID-19 Molecular Testing Capacity in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study at the Country Level 
Diagnostics, 6 April 2022 
This article assesses the overall COVID-19 molecular testing capacity in Jordan as of April 2021. It identifies potential defects that could comprise the utility of the COVID-19 molecular testing capacity in the country. 

Mitigating Psychological Distress in Healthcare Workers as COVID-19 Waves Ensue: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan 
Human Resources for Health, 11 April 2022 
The authors have previously studied psychological distress in healthcare practitioners (HCPs) during the start of the pandemic and demonstrated that HCPs were experiencing considerable stress, despite the country reporting low caseloads at the time of the study. In this article, they utilize the same methodology to reexamine levels of distress as COVID-19 peaked in the country and HCPs began managing large numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Acute Kidney Injury among Hospital-Admitted COVID-19 Patients: A Study from Jordan 
International Journal of General Medicine, 29 April 2022 
This article looks into Acute kidney Injury (AKI) as among the more dangerous complications contributing to morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. It concludes that early recognition of and treatment for AKI will decrease mortality and hospitalization in patients with COVID-19.

Impact of COVID-19 Exclusive Allocation Strategy on Quality of Healthcare: A Study from Jordan, 2020 
Health Security, 29 April 2022 
This article focuses on the Jordanian strategy of allocating tertiary healthcare centers exclusively for COVID-19 patients and postponing all other treatments and healthcare provision. Authors collected data on admissions, occupancy of hospital beds, and length of stay at emergency departments and outpatient clinics, as well as surgeries conducted. 

Kuwait

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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgeons and Surgical Residents' Caseload, Surgical Skills, and Mental Health in Kuwait 
Medical Principles and Practice - The International Journal of the Kuwait University, 5 April 2022 
This article assesses the psychological impact resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines the effect it had on surgical training. It concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the psychological well-being of a significant proportion of surgeons and associated surgical training programs.

Lebanon

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Assessing the Pharmaceutical Care Provision to Suspected COVID-19 Patients in Community Pharmacies: A Simulated Patient Study 
BMC Health Services Research, 9 April 2022 
This article assesses the appropriateness of pharmaceutical care provided by CPs to patients with suspected COVID-19 and to investigate their communication skills. A simulated patient (SP) study was conducted among randomly selected community pharmacies in Beirut, Lebanon. 

Lebanon’s COVID-19 Vaccination Digital Platform Promotes Transparency & Public Trust 
World Bank, 26 April 2022 
This World Bank blog-post, also available in Arabic, reviews the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in Lebanon. It states that the COVID-19 vaccination campaign was implemented in a transparent, equitable, and efficient manner, and has contributed to reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. [ARABIC]

Libya

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Impact of Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health among the Libyan Population 
PLoS One, 28 April 2022 
This article aims to determine the prevalence of psychological illness and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Libyan population’s mental health.

Oman

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Regulatory Measures and Priorities in Response in Oman to the COVID19 Pandemic  
The Electrochemical Society, Date Unspecified  
This article explores the role of various initiatives taken by authorities and measures the other viable options to the pandemic. It concludes that the authorities have considered adopting emergency measures to assist residents in managing their work and care, to strengthen and expand income support measures, to broaden support for SMEs and self-employed people and to improve measures for health care services once for all. 

Fatality Prediction of COVID-19 by Using Machine Learning: Oman Dataset 
Sultan Qaboos University, Date Unspecified  
This Sultan Qaboos University working paper presents the outcomes of a cohort study of 467 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Oman. It studies the capacity of machine learning technologies to predict COVID-19 fatality cases. 

Shipping and Transportation Traffic of Medical and Non-Medical Goods Before and During COVID-19 in Oman 
Procedia Computer Science, Date Unspecified 
This article investigates the changes in the shipping and transportation traffic of medical and non-medical goods during and before the start of COVID-19 pandemic in Oman.

Spatial Associations between COVID-19 Incidence Rates and Work Sectors: Geospatial Modeling of Infection Patterns among Migrants in Oman 
Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 5 April 2022 
This article models spatial associations between COVID-19 incidence rates and migrant workers. It explains the spatial relationships between COVID-19 infection rates of migrants and the type of workplace at the subnational level in Oman.

Palestine

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A Feminist Economic Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on the Palestinian Economy.                                                                                                                                          UN Women Palestine,Date Unspecified  
This report from the UN Women Palestine examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Palestinians from a feminist perspective.

Proactive Innovation in a Prolonged Conflict Setting: Facing COVID-19 in a Specialized Cancer Hospital in Palestine 
Frontiers in Public Health, 1 April 2022 
This article studies Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH)’s COVID-19-related preparedness measures.

Gender-Based Violence Experiences among Palestinian Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions and Concerns 
Conflict and Health, 4 April 2022 
This article explores mental health professionals’ perceptions and concerns on GBV (Gender Based Violence) among Palestinian women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reproduction of Palestinian Heterotopic Space: Encountering First Wave of Covid-19 in East Jerusalem 
Middle East Critique, 7 April 2022 
This article discusses how the Palestinians approached the pandemic within the context of occupation, and how they used their power to reproduce what Henri Lefebvre called heterotopic spaces. The aim is to shed light on the evolving role of civil society to support local action in dealing with a pandemic and to understand COVID-19 from peoples’ perspective rather than from a top-bottom lens in occupied cities. 

Attitudes and Acceptance of the Palestinian Population towards COVID-19 Health Precautions and Vaccinations: A Cross-Sectional Study 
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets, 19 April 2022 
This article assesses the commitment to COVID-19 health precautions and vaccination willingness among the Palestinian population. It concludes that COVID-19 threat perception, high education level, and city residency predict more commitment to health precautions, in contrast to male students and unemployed participants. 

Qatar

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Chronic Urticaria and COVID-19 Vaccination: Qatar Data (preliminary report of COVAC-CU-international) 
Qatar Medical Journal, 4 April 2022 
This article evaluates the real-world (Qatar) experience of the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on patients with chronic urticaria and analyzes the rates of vaccine-associated reactions and risk factors associated.

Teaching in Times of Crisis: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Higher Education 
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 10 April 2022 
This article studies the management of the transformation to online teaching as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. Based on 16 interviews with educators from a university located in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, namely, Qatar, the authors present measures of support that contribute towards charting the path to the next normal.

COVID-19 Disease Severity in Children Infected with the Omicron Variant 
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 11 April 2022 
This article studies COVID-19 disease severity in children/adolescents infected with the Omicron variant. Conducted on a dataset from Qatar, the study concludes that Omicron variant infection in children/adolescents is associated with less severe disease than Delta variant infection as measured by hospitalization rates and need for ICU care or mechanical ventilation.

Characteristics and Obstetric Outcomes in Women With Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Qatar 
Cureus, 22 April 2022 
This article assesses the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases as they are considered to have a high risk of obstetric complications with the emergence of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

A 12-month Retrospective Study of Outcomes of COVID-19 Drive-Through Swabbing Hubs’ Screening of Asymptomatic Population in Qatar 
Journal of Global Health Reports, 25 April 2022 
This article seeks to estimate the point prevalence of COVID-19, testing positivity rates and risk factors associated with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity among asymptomatic people identified through active population surveillance in Qatar. It concludes that active community testing implemented through the PHCC’s drive-through swabbing hubs offers a valuable opportunity to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and reduce the spread of the disease.

Saudi Arabia

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Social Stigma as an Outcome of the Cultural Repercussions toward COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia 
Cogent Social Sciences, 1 April 2022 
This article explores the impact of social stigma on people infected with COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia and the factors that worsen the stigma against COVID-19 patients.

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Saudi Arabia 
Patient Preference and Adherence, 2 April 2022 
This article assesses the level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination and detect the factors that influence vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.

An Appraisal of the Early Impact of COVID-19 on Affordable Housing Finance in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 
International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 8 April 2022 
This study examines the relevance of affordable housing, the perceived impact of COVID-19 on affordable housing and proffered measures to promote affordable housing finance in Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia. 

Coagulation Profile in COVID-19 Patients and its Relation to Disease Severity and Overall Survival: A Single-Center Study 
British Journal of Biomedical Science, 8 April 2022  
This article investigates hemostatic changes in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and their relationship to disease severity and survival. This study included 284 patients with COVID-19 who attended the Security Forces Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Health Economic Burden of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia 
medRxiv, 13 April 2022 
This article provides real-world data on the health economic burden of COVID-19 on the Saudi health sector and assesses the direct medical costs associated with the management of COVID-19. 

Modeling the Effect of Lockdown and Social Distancing on the Spread of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia 
PLOS ONE, 14 April 2022 
This article formulates a mathematical model to study the impact of lockdown and social distancing measures on COVID-19 spread. It explores several scenarios to investigate the optimal application of these measures and address whether it is possible to rely solely on social distancing without imposing a lockdown.

Effectiveness of Using E-Learning Systems During COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: Experiences and Perceptions Analysis of Engineering Students 
Education and Information Technology, 19 April 2022 
This article analyzes and investigates the experiences and perceptions of using Blackboard as a distance learning (online) platform.

COVID-19 Reinfection: A Multicenter Retrospective Study in Saudi Arabia  
Annals of Thoracic Medicine, 19 April 2022 
This article aims to evaluate the rate, risk factors, and severity of COVID-19 reinfection.

Hospital Length of Stay and Related Factors for COVID-19 Inpatients Among the Four Southern Regions Under the Proposed Southern Business Unit of Saudi Arabia 
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 20 April 2022 
This article assesses the length of stay (LoS) variation for COVID-19 inpatients among the four regions of the Southern Business Unit (SBU). It reveals that LoS (length of stay) was significantly impacted by region in the SBU in the KSA.

Persistent Symptoms Post-COVID-19: An Observational Study at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 
Cureus, 21 April 2022 
This article studies the type of persistent symptoms post-COVID-19 infection, their prevalence, and factors that play a role in developing the post-COVID-19 symptoms among COVID-19 patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Internship Preparedness among Students in Healthcare-Related Fields in the Covid-19 Era: Exploring the Attitude and Knowledge in Saudi Arabia 
Journal of Public Health Research, 27 April 2022 
This article studies students’ attitude toward and knowledge of COVID-19 and examine the predictors of their attitude toward hand hygiene.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Restrictions: Concerns and Opinions among Individuals in Saudi Arabia 
Healthcare, 28 April 2022 
This article examines concerns about COVID-19 vaccines in Saudi Arabia. It concludes that a high proportion of individuals in Saudi Arabia are concerned about possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, and many believe that unvaccinated individuals should not be restricted from participating in public life. 

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Community Pharmacists Toward Non-pharmaceutical Products in Saudi Arabia 
Frontiers in Public Health, 29 April 2022 
This article studies community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude and practice toward non-pharmaceutical products. A total of 211 community pharmacists working in the Asir region, Saudi Arabia were included.

Somalia

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Data Innovation in Response to COVID-19 in Somalia: Application of a Syndromic Case Definition and Rapid Mortality Assessment Method 
Global Health Action, 4 April 2022 
This article aims to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on beneficiaries of a long-term cash transfer program in Somalia and assess the utility of a syndromic score case definition and rapid mortality surveillance tool.

Prevalence of Acute Kidney Injury in Covid-19 Patients- Retrospective Single-Center Study 
Infection and Drug Resistance, 5 April 2022 
This article aims to determine the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients and also the relationship between inflammatory markers, the severity of lung involvement, and acute kidney injury in COVID-19 patients. 

Evaluation of the electronic Early Warning and Response Network (EWARN) system in Somalia, 2017–2020 
Conflict and Health, 16 April 2022 
This article presents an assessment of the performance of the EWARN (Early Warning Alert and Response Network) in Somalia from January 2017 to December 2020, reflections on the successes and failures, and provides future perspectives for enhancement of the EWARN to effectively support an Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 Pneumonia in Somalia 
Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease, 25 April 2022 
This article seeks to determine the prevalence of CRF (cardiovascular risk factors) and clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in a tertiary hospital in Somalia.

Sudan

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COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance, Hesitancy, and Associated Factors among Medical Students in Sudan 
PLOS ONE, 7 April 2022 
This article aims to determine the acceptance and hesitancy of the COVID-19 vaccine and associated factors among medical students in Sudan. It reveals a high level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among medical students.

Syria

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Simulation of the Progression of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Northwest Syria Using a Basic and Adjusted SIR Model 
Zoonotic Diseases, 1 April 2022 
This article investigates the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in Northwest Syria, a conflict-affected region, for nine months. The novelty of the study is provided by simulating the progress of the COVID-19 outbreak in conflict settings, as it is the first study to predict the dynamics of COVID-19 disease in Northwest Syria by adjusting for face-mask-wearing as a preventive measure to explore its impact on outbreak dynamics.

Tunisia

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Studying SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy among Health Professionals in Tunisia 
BMC Health Services Research, 12 April 2022 
This article estimates the prevalence and the predictors of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy among the Tunisian health professionals. Female sex, working far from the capital, and having concerns about the vaccines components predicted more hesitancy among participants. 

COVID-19 in Tunisia (North Africa): Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the General Population of the Capital City Tunis 
Diagnostics, 13 April 2022 
This article reports on the findings of the first serosurvey conducted in Tunis prior to the implementation of mass vaccination and analyzes factors associated with seropositivity. It states that more than one third of people living in Tunis obtained antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.

Tunisia: Covid-19 Vaccines and Access to Health in Rural Tunisia 
Amnesty International, 25 April 2022 
Amnesty International reports on many barriers preventing residents from getting their vaccines in a mountainous area by the Tunisian-Algerian border where the organization has conducted field research. They say that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the weakness of right to health protections in Tunisia and particularly when it came to vaccine rollout programs and the marginalization of historically underserved rural regions of Tunisia. 

UAE

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Covid Diplomacy in the Era of Pandemic Response: The Case of United Arab Emirates  
Journal of International Women’s Studies, Date Unspecified 
This article explores how foreign aid and COVID-19 assistance, including medical supplies and COVID-19 vaccines’ supply, have created a new source of soft power for the UAE. It presents an overview of UAE’s history of humanitarianism, conceptual and theoretical framework, methodology, factors enabling UAE’s COVID diplomacy, and the UAE's contribution towards fighting COVID worldwide. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on Some Socio-Economic Sectors in the United Arab Emirates 
Open Journal of Social Sciences, Date Unspecified  
This article examines the impact of COVID-19 on multiple UAE governmental and non-governmental sectors such as the aviation sector, real estate market, tourism, and education.

Enhancing the Policing Response to COVID-19 with Media Engagement: The United Arab Emirates Experience 
Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 4 April 2022  
This article studies the role of media in the police response in relation to COVID-19 risk management in the UAE. The findings suggest pre-defined conducive legislative and institutional structure, professionalism of media and police, and collaborative approaches among implementing agencies contributed to the success of the early phase COVID-19 risk management in the UAE.

Outdoor Activity in the Daytime, but Not the Nighttime, Predicts Better Mental Health Status During the COVID-19 Curfew in the United Arab Emirates 
Frontiers in Public Health, 4 April 2022 
This study assesses the association between levels of daytime versus nighttime outdoor activity and mental health among a sample of UAE residents during the lockdown period. It reveals that daytime activity, but not nighttime activity, was associated with a lower risk of clinically significant depressive symptomatology.

Mofeed Digest (January – March 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| Kuwait| Lebanon| Libya| Mauritania| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Syria| Tunisia| UAE| Yemen]

MENA

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Exploration of Early COVID-19 Pandemic Health Care and Public Health Responses in Select Middle East Nations
Rand Corporation, Date Unspecified
This report analyzes the results of a quick turn study evaluating the anti-COVID-19 strategies adopted by Middle Eastern governments, including Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and Tunisia.

Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Iraq and Yemen
UN ESCWA, Date Unspecified
Published and compiled by UN ESCWA, these studies assess the impact of COVID-19 on the economic, social, and political participation of women in Iraq and Yemen.

In the MENA Region, Building Back Does Not Need to Cost Much
World Bank, 18 January 2022
This blog-post examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on earnings, poverty, and inequality in the MENA region. It builds on several WB reports, most notably “Distributional Impacts of COVID-19 in the Middle East and North Africa Region” (available in ARABIC).

What Arabs Think About Education During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Arab Barometer, 21 January 2022
This Arab Barometer article summarizes MENA citizens’ attitudes toward education in their countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This data was collected through surveys held in seven Arab countries during the pandemic.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality and Food Security in the Arab Region with a Focus on the Sudan and Iraq
Care Evaluations, 7 February 2022
This analysis explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality and food security in the Arab region with a focus on findings from Iraq and Sudan. It is the product of joint collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and CARE International (CARE). 

Assessing Vaccine Hesitancy in Arab Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: A Scoping Review Protocol 
BMJ Open, 11 February 2022
This article reviews the determinants of vaccine hesitancy in the MENA region, highlighting the importance of geographic, cultural and religious factors.

Egypt and Tunisia Get Covid-19 Vaccine-Making Know-How
The National News, 18 February 2022
The World Health Organization announced Egypt, Tunisia, and four other African states as participants in a program poised to provide countries with training and gear required to produce mRNA vaccines. 

Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Quality of Life: Is There Any Effect? A Cross-Sectional Study of the MENA Region
PLoS ONE, 1 March 2022
This study assesses the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life in the MENA region, based on an online survey covering 6,142 adults from eighteen different countries.

Tracing Cultural Relations Through The COVID-19 Crisis
Arab Media & Society, 1 March 2022
This article reviews cultural relations trends during the COVID-19 crisis in the MENA region.

UNHCR MENA COVID-19 Response Factsheet (January 2022)
Relief Web, 10 March 2022
This article reviews the pandemic in the MENA region from the lens of IDPs, refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons. It shows that nineteen MENA countries have included refugees in their local vaccination programs.

Introduction to COVID-19 MELG Special Issue
Middle East Law and Governance Journal, 30 March 2022
The Middle East Law and Governance Journal launched a special edition titled “MENA and COVID19: State and Societal Responses.” This introductory article  summarizes the content of the special issue, which addresses how various political actors appropriated pandemic responses to reassert their power.

Dyadic Analysis of Fragile Middle Eastern States and Humanitarian Implications of Restrictive covid-19 Policies
Middle East Law and Governance Journal, 30 March 2022 
This article compares the policies implemented by various Middle Eastern countries to contain the spread of the coronavirus.  Authors found that fragile states tended to be characterized by a higher proportion of restrictive policies, lower government stringency, and lower compliance. The results identify sectors that would benefit most from humanitarian aid and raise the issue of whether restrictions are disproportionately implemented due to covert political agendas or lack of political and economic power.

Defiant Worship: Religious Liberty Talk and Rights in COVID-19 Pandemic Times
Journal of Church & State, 31 March 2022
This assesses religious liberty claims during the COVID-19 pandemic times. Specifically, the authors draw on interactive social media content collected from Facebook and Twitter during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to examine responses to the public health measures that restricted indoor forms of religious assembly. 

Algeria

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COVID-19 and Algeria’s Labor Movement
The Project on Middle East Political Science, Date Unspecified 
This article discusses the effects of COVID-19 on labor mobilization in Algeria through displaying the challenges that COVID-19 restrictions have created. The article is part POMEPS Studies #45 entitled, “Labor and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa.”

The Natural Resource Curse Unmasked: The Economy and Trade Finance in Algeria in the Shadow of COVID-19
UN ESCWA, February 2022
According to this ESCWA working paper, Algeria’s reliance on oil and gas exports  is limiting the country’s economic growth, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is in serious need of more diversification away from the oil sector

Spatial Diffusion of COVID-19 in Algeria during the Third Wave
GeoJournal, 3 March 2022
This article analyzes the spatiotemporal variations of reported coronavirus and death cases in Algeria to identify the differential geographic impact of the third wave of the virus.

Diversity Impact on Vaccine Equity in Algeria
Minority Rights Group, 4 March 2022
This report analyzes social media discourse around COVID-19 vaccination in Algeria, including knowledge of, access to, and confidence in the vaccine among the population with a special emphasis on the Amazigh community. 

Bahrain

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Does Influenza Vaccination Help Reduce Incidence of COVID-19 Infection Among Hospital Employees?
Medicine (Baltimore), 14 January 2022 
This study investigates the effect of influenza vaccination on the incidence and severity of COVID-19 among members of staff working in the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital.

COVID-19 Recovery Patterns Across Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (B.1.617.2) Variants of SARS-CoV-2
Frontiers in Immunology, 14 February 2022
This research studies the length of stay of alpha and delta variants of COVID-19 in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The study covered patients admitted to COVID-19 treatment facilities under the Bahrain Ministry of Health between 1 January 2021 and 30 May 2021.

Bahrain Approves Valneva’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use
Alarabiya News, 1 March 2022
France's Valneva vaccine has been granted emergency use authorization in Bahrain. 

Comoros

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The Impact of Covid-19 on Household Welfare in the Comoros
World Bank, March 2022
This World Bank working paper shows the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the Comoros’s household welfare, poverty and labor market outcomes. 

Djibouti

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Djibouti Shows Signs of Recovery but Challenges Remain
The World Bank, 7 March 2022
This World Bank blog-post builds on a WB Report titled “Navigating Through the Pandemic and Regional Tensions,” which provides an update on the country’s recent economic developments and its macroeconomic outlook.

Egypt

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Egypt: The Resilience of the Egypt Economy in the face of COVID-19 Shocks and High Commodity Prices
Frontiers in Public Health, 17 January 2022
This article analyzes the dynamics of the utilization of healthcare services in Egypt. Teaching hospitals have demonstrated preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining an inpatient bed occupancy rate of 70% or less and ventilator utilization at <40% of confirmed cases. However, the ICU bed occupancy rate was more than 90% indicating a shortage of resources. In addition, there is variance across hospitals regarding caseload for resource reallocation decisions.

COVID-19 Related States’ Obligations under International Human Rights Law: An Assessment of Egypt’s COVID-19 Response through a Gender Lens
Australian Journal of Human Rights, 20 January 2022
This article assesses Egypt's Covid-19 response to the international obligation to adopt restrictive and mitigation measures aiming to limit the spread of COVID-19, while limiting disproportionate effects on women's health, exposure to domestic violence, and girls’ education rates.

Egypt Approves Merck COVID-19 Pill, Says to Be Produced Locally
Arab News, 24 January 2022
Egyptian authorities have approved Merck & Co's COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir for emergency use. The drug will be produced locally by five Egyptian companies. 

World Bank’s Covid-19 Emergency Response in Egypt
Arab Watch Coalition, 1 February 2022
This report reviews the implementation of two World Bank programs, namely “Transforming Egypt's Healthcare System” and “Covid 19 Emergency Response.”

Scaling up Egyptian Community Action for Health towards COVID-19 (Multicenter Study)
The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 5 February 2022
This study examines Egyptian citizens’ behavioral changes in response to COVID-19 and evaluates their perceptions of the government’s handling of the pandemic. 

Adherence to COVID-19 Preventive Measures Among Male Medical Students, Egypt
Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association, 17 February 2022
This is a study identifying the adherence to Covid-19 preventive measures among 537 male medical students of Al-Azhar University in Cairo. The prevalence of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among studied students was 28.1%. Wearing a face mask outside the house was practiced by 58% of students, avoiding hugging or kissing others by 41.3%, and keeping a distance from others by 20.7%.

Egypt: The Resilience of the Egypt Economy in the face of COVID-19 Shocks and High Commodity Prices
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S Department of Agriculture, 24 February 2022
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in commodity prices globally, Egypt succeeded in maintaining inflation rates within the Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE’s) target range at a time when many countries of the world are witnessing a wave of high inflation.

Egyptian Consumers Are Becoming More Digital as COVID-19 Accelerates Digital Transformation
PwC Middle East, 15 March 2022
A survey results from Egypt showed that 72% of respondents had become 
“more digital’ over the span of the last 6 months, especially with mobile shopping. 

Domestic Violence Against Married Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt
BMC Women's Health, 27 March 2022
A cross-sectional study examined the effect of the pandemic on violence against married women in Egypt, and its effect on mental health. It shows that the overall prevalence of economic and some types of physical and emotionally abusive behaviors have been increased after the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic.

Iraq

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Comparing COVID-19 Control Model Between Iraq and Iran
UKH Journal of Social Sciences, 1 January 2022
This article analyzes the response strategies utilized by Iraq and Iran, with comparison of the impacts and outcomes of each strategy used for controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The results show that travel ban, restrictive containment, and support from the international community in controlling the spread of the virus had a more positive impact in Iraq compared to Iran.

Pediatric COVID-19 Infection in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq
American Journal of Otolaryngology, January-February 2022
This study assesses the demographic and clinical presentations and symptoms of COVID-19 and its variants.  

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance, Hesitancy and Refusal Among Iraqi Kurdish Population
International Journal of Health Sciences, January-February 2022
Based on a cross-sectional online survey conducted between April and May this study analyzes the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Kurdistan, Iraq. 

Child Protection and COVID-19: Iraq Case Study
World Vision, 16 February 2022
This World Vision publication summarizes the measures taken by the organization’s staff in Iraq to ensure child protection systems in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the establishment of child protection committees and raising awareness among parents. 

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in Iraq
Journal of Ideas in Health, 21 March 2022
This article reports the findings from an online cross-sectional study held in Iraq’s Anbar province in October 2020. The article examines and assesses the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers.

Jordan

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The Threat of the COVID-19 Pandemic to Human Rights: Jordan as a Model
Journal of Human Rights and Social Studies, 17 January 2022
This article studies the impact of the pandemic on human rights in Jordan. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country suffered from weakness in its labor market, lack of public safety tools, and other social impacts on human rights and freedom of media and expression. 

Physicians’ Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Associated Factors During COVID-19 Pandemic in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Evaluations and the Health Professions Journal, 18 January 2022
This study investigates the health and occupational determinants of health-related quality of life levels among Jordanian physicians during COVID-19 pandemic. 

Women’s Labor Force Participation and COVID-19 in Jordan
Middle East Institute, 1 February 2022
This article showcases the inequitable participation of women in the labor force in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jordan has the lowest rate of women’s economic participation of any country not at war. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the kingdom’s female labor force participation rate is below 15%, while that of men is about 60%. 

Compounding Inequalities: Adolescent Psychosocial Wellbeing and Resilience Among Refugee and Host Communities in Jordan during the COVID-19 Pandemic
PLoS One, 2 February 2022
This article sheds light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on displaced populations and refugees. 

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Healthcare Workers in Jordan towards the COVID-19 Vaccination
Vaccines Journal, 9 February 2022
This article studies the knowledge and perception of Jordan’s healthcare workers of the COVID-19 vaccine. Findings show that physicians were more likely to take the vaccine due to their higher knowledge of its components, side effects, and other aspects. 

Predictors of Social Response to COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers Caring for Individuals with Confirmed COVID-19 in Jordan
F1000 Research, 14 March 2022
This article analyzes the perception of social discrimination and coping strategies among healthcare workers caring for individuals suffering from COVID-19 in Jordan. 

Impact of Coronavirus 19 Pandemic on Contraception in Jordan
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 15 March 2022
This cross sectional study examines t the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family planning in Jordan. 

Stigma toward Healthcare Providers from Patients during COVID-19 Era in Jordan
Public Health Nursing, 25 March 2022
This study explores health care workers’ stigmatization from patients during the pandemic's outbreak in Jordan. Results showed that a wide group of people show high stigma towards health care providers, in correlation with various factors, including constant exposure to news, having children, and smoking.

Kuwait

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Using a Stochastic Continuous-Time Markov Chain Model to Examine Alternative Timing and Duration of the COVID-19 Lockdown in Kuwait: What Can Be Done Now?
Archives of Public Health, 8 January 2022
This article studies the optimal timing and duration of a full lockdown in Kuwait that would result in controlling new infections and lead to a substantial reduction in case hospitalizations. The model shows that a 90-day lockdown that commences 10 days before the epidemic peak is optimal. A more realistic duration of 45 days can achieve about a 45% reduction in both new infections and case hospitalizations.

Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: The Kuwait Experience
Medical Principles and Practices, 26 January 2022
This article studies the baseline characteristics and evaluates the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 in Kuwait.

COVID-19 (2020) Impact on Air Quality of the State of Kuwait
Preprints, 18 February 2022
This article investigates the impact of COVID-19 on seven air pollutants from the period January 2020 to December 2020 in the State of Kuwait. Authors found that concentrations for the pollutants decreased during the pandemic due to the decrease of anthropogenic sources including such as traffic and petroleum activities, but the concentration for PM2.5 increased, mostly because of the transported dust coming with the northwest winds prevailing in Kuwait from the Arabian deserts and Iraq.

COVID-19 and Threats to Irregular Migrants in Kuwait and the Gulf
International Migration, 28 February 2022
This article investigates lived experiences of 26 irregular migrants residing in Kuwait when the pandemic occurred. It finds that network support continued to provide an essential element in enabling migrants’ survival. Intermediaries such as kafeels (sponsors) were often unavailable or unwilling to provide assistance. Authors conclude that the health and welfare of irregular migrants require special policy attention since they now face an enhanced risk of being apprehended and deported.

Lebanon

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The Impact of Lockdown and Other Stressors during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Anxiety in a Lebanese Opportunistic Sample: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey
Current Psychology, 5 January 2022
This article evaluates the psychological impact of the lockdown in Lebanon. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted during the lockdown period in order to punctually assess depression, anxiety symptoms as well as eating and substance use disorders while identifying factors that might affect those outcomes.

Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccines Acceptance in the Lebanese Population: A National Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 11 January 2022
This article assesses COVID-19 vaccines’ acceptance and its related determinants in the Lebanese population. Around 63.4% if respondents have reported their acceptance for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Analysis showed that a higher knowledge scale, living in an urban residential area, having hypertension, not having a food allergy, reporting a higher fear to experience COVID-19 infection, and receiving or wanting to receive influenza vaccine, were positive predictors of COVID-19 vaccines acceptance.

Epidemics and Local Governments in Struggling Nations: COVID-19 in Lebanon
PLoS ONE, 27 January 2022
This article documents the range of preparedness/reactivity of Lebanon’s municipalities as COVID-19 swept through the country. It explores municipal response to control the epidemic, using in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across all governorates in Lebanon.

Covid-19 in Outpatient and Inpatient Asthmatics in Lebanon: Real-Life Experience
The Journal of Allergy And Clinical Immunology, 1 February 2022
This article finds an asthma point prevalence of 6.41% among Lebanese patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection. Preliminary results showed a mild to moderate outcome in most COVID-19 asthmatic outpatients followed in a specialty clinic, with complications not greater than the normal population.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing during First Delta Wave, Lebanon, 2021
MedRxiv, 1 February 2022
Theis article describes the close tracing approach and profile of close contacts identified during the first delta wave. It highlights a need to adapt the quarantine measures to close contacts based on their profile, and to ensure easy access to free testing.

Hesitancy to COVID-19 Vaccines among University Students in Lebanon
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, March 2022
This article assesses the readiness and behavioral intentions of students enrolled at the American University of Beirut (AUB) to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. Results showed a low hesitancy rate among students enrolled at AUB.

Learning & E-Learning Loss: Syrian Children Refugees Between The Brusqueness Of Covid -19 And The Slackness Of Lebanese Authorities
Human Rights Pulse, 1 March 2022
The initial educational crisis facing refugees was exacerbated by the economic free fall of Lebanon, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the learning and e-learning obstacles caused by the discriminatory laws of the Lebanese authorities. This article endeavors to identify the dominant causes of learning loss in this case, the positive aspects of e-learning as well as the obstacles, and to analyze the result of the Lebanese authority’s disregard vis-à-vis the Syrian students.

The Politics of COVID-19 Vaccine Equity among Refugee Populations in Lebanon
Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy, 4 March 2022
This article explores Lebanon’s COVID-19 responses, as vaccine equity in the country.

Libya

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The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Families in Tripoli, Libya
IberoAmerican Journal of Medicine, 2 February 2022
This article investigates the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on children with ASD and their families in Tripoli, Libya.

Evaluate the Extent of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Of Protection and Prevention of COVID-19 in Libya: A Nationwide Online Cross-Sectional Survey
Healthcare Review, 5 February 2022
This article evaluates the extent of knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards protection and preventive measures of the COVID-19 outbreak in Libya. 

Mauritania

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Mauritania: Fighting the Pandemic One Jab at a Time
World Bank, 21 January 2022
This World Bank feature acknowledges that Mauritania has been one of the leading countries in Africa in championing COVID-19 vaccination with more than 40% of the adult population being fully vaccinated. It also lists the key drivers for the success of Mauritania’s vaccine roll-out.

Morocco 

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The Unexpected Transition to Distance Learning at Moroccan Universities amid COVID-19: A Qualitative Study on Faculty Experience
Social Sciences and Humanities Open, Date Unspecified
This study examines the faculty experience of online distance learning/teaching amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco.

Are Moroccan Free School Support Websites Effective for Learners During the Covid-19 Pandemic?: A Study Based on an Evaluation Grid
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education, Date Unspecified 
This article assesses some Moroccan free school support websites and their effectiveness for learning. 

Machine Learning Approaches in Covid-19 Severity Risk Prediction in Morocco
Journal Of Big Data, 6 January 2022
This study aims to estimate COVID-19 illness severity based on data rom Morocco. This Machine Learning approach will help determine which cases should have the priority in receiving medical care and hospital admission. 

Forecasting Covid-19 Transmission with ARIMA and LSTM Techniques in Morocco
SN Computer Science Journal, 14 January 2022
This article predicts the outbreak of COVID-19 in Morocco based on Regressive Integrated Moving Average(ARIMA) and Long short-term memory(LSTM) models. 

Distance Learning Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Moroccan University Students’ Perceptions
The Teacher Educator, 1 February 2022
This article sheds light on the online-learning experience of 113 Moroccan students in an English department amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental Health Profiles in a Sample of Moroccan High School Students: Comparison Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic 
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 21 February 2022
This study assesses the impact of COVID-related restrictive measures on the mental health of Moroccan youth. 

MSME Resilience in Morocco in the Face of COVID-19
Relief web, 30 March 2022
This repost analyzes the risks faced by Moroccan enterprises of micro, small and medium sizes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oman

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Corporate social responsibility budgeting and spending during COVID-19 in Credibility in Risk Communication: Oman’s Official Arabic COVID-19 Risk Communication and Its English Translation
Finance Research Letters, 11 January 2022 
COVID-19 is causing economic panic among people, governments, and businesses, requiring greater corporate social responsibility (CSR). Using a sample of Omani-listed firms, this article shows that CSR budgeting and spending have increased considerably during the pandemic. It also shows that CSR budgeting is positively affected by the increase in COVID-19 deaths. CSR spending increases with the number of COVID-19 confirmed and fatal cases. These findings suggest that firms resort to CSR to reduce the negative consequences of the pandemic.

Observations on Food Consumption Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Oman
Frontiers in Public Health, 25 January 2022
This article studies the perceptions of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on behaviors related to diet and food shopping on a sample of 356 adults in Oman.

Palestine

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Forgotten Behind Bars: COVID-19 and Palestinian Prisoners Detained in Israel
Health and Human Rights Journal, 2 February 2022
This article reviews Israeli policies toward Palestinian detainees amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that Israel has done little to protect the approximately 4,500 Palestinian detainees and prisoners held in Israeli facilities, including 700 detainees with pre-existing medical conditions.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Contracting & Engineering Companies in Gaza Strip
Open Journal of Civil Engineering, March 2022
This study assesses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on construction and engineering companies in Gaza. 

Public knowledge, Attitude, and Acceptance toward COVID-19 Vaccines in Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study
BMC Public Health, 17 March 2022
Based on cross-sectional study held across Palestinian regions, this article identifies Palestinians’ knowledge of and attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Unwillingness or Reluctance of Palestinians to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine: The Reasons Behind It and How to Persuade Them
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 25 March 2022
This article analyzes the factors behind low COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Palestinians, attributing it to false rumors, misinformation, and conspiracy theories circulated on social media.

Qatar

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The Impact of Changes in Work Arrangements During COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lifestyle of Qatar's Working Population
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, February 2022
This article uses a web-based survey to explore the impact of changing work arrangements in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic on diet, physical activity, body weight, and sleep of Qatar's working population. 

Epidemiological and Outcome Analysis of COVID-19-Associated Pneumothorax: Multicentre Retrospective Critical Care Experience from Qatar
BMJ Open, 21 February 2022
This article assesses the characteristics, treatment, associated risk factors and outcome of COVID-19-associated pneumothorax in intensive care units (ICU) in Qatar. 

Post-COVID-19 Stroke Rehabilitation in Qatar: A Retrospective, Observational Pilot Study
Qatar Medical Journal, 28 February 2022
This article analyzes the relation between COVID-19 and strokes in Qatar to understand the possible predictors of functional gain. It explores the functional gain in post-COVID-19 patients with stroke following active rehabilitation services in Qatar to understand the possible predictors of functional gain. Findings suggest that active rehabilitation services and immediate intervention will be required to rehabilitate post-COVID-19 patients with stroke, a vulnerable population, to achieve adequate functional improvement.

Saudi Arabia

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Post-Acute COVID-19 Condition in Saudi Arabia: A National Representative Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, May 2022
This article characterizes the symptoms that appear after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been eradicated and to determine their relationship with COVID-19 severity. The loss of smell, the loss of taste, shortness of breath, and fatigue were the main persistent symptoms.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Health of a Sample of the Health Care Workers in the Western Region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Middle East Current Psychology, 19 January 2022
This article evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of health care workers in Saudi Arabia.

Adverse Drug Reactions from Two COVID-19 Vaccines Reported in Saudi Arabia
Drugs and Therapy Perspectives, 22 January 2022
This article reveals the nature and classification of reported adverse drug reactions of the two COVID-19 vaccines (tozinameran and ChAdOx1) among citizens and residents living in Saudi Arabia. It shows possible differences between the two vaccines. The study found that the frequencies of most listed ADRs were statistically different when seven batches of tozinameran vaccine were compared.

COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: An Overview
Frontiers in Public Health, 2 February 2022
This analysis of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia attempts to assess the situation, explore its global percentage share, percentage of population affected, and local distribution from the beginning of infection until recently, tracing historical developments and changes.

The Prevalence of Depression and Related Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among the General Population of the Jazan Region of Saudi Arabia
Cureus, 6 February 2022
This article investigates the rates of depression associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along with mitigation measures such as lockdown in the population of the Jazan region in Saudi Arabia. It assesses the psychological impacts of the pandemic on this culturally unique region to see if it affected as many as other reported places in the world.

COVID-19 Cases and Deaths After Implementation of Prevention Strategies, Saudi Arabia
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 27 February 2022
This article studies the incidence of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia during different phases of prevention strategies and explores their effects on controlling the spread of the disease. It concludes that the health system of Saudi Arabia efficiently used lockdown and curfew periods to prepare for management of confirmed cases of COVID-19, reflected by the decreased incidence and mortality rates in phase 5.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Quarantine on Physical, Nutritional, Psychosocial Life and Work Aspects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, March 2022
This article examines the impact of COVID-19 quarantine on physical, nutritional, psychosocial life, and work aspects on the population of Saudi Arabia. COVID-19 quarantine was negatively correlated with the physical, nutritional, psychosocial life and work aspects of Saudi Arabia’s population. 

Impact of COVID-19 on Mutual Fund Performance in Saudi Arabia
Cogent Economics & Finance, 31 March 2022
This article assesses the performance of actively managed Saudi Arabia mutual funds during the COVID-19 outbreak and investigates the potential impact of COVID-19 growth on the measured performance.

Somalia

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Survival Analysis of All Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to the Main Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, 30 March–12 June 2020: Which Interventions Are Proving Effective in Fragile States?
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, January 2022
Authors conducted a survival analysis for 131 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Somalia and examined interventions to improve outcomes in this low-resource and fragile setting. The paper shows that risk factors for deaths included age ≥60 years, cardiovascular disease and use of non-invasive ventilation and that patients who received oxygen alone were more likely to survive than patients who were ventilated.

Child Protection and COVID-19: Somalia Case Study
WorldVision, 16 February 2022
This report from World Vision studies children’s rights and wellbeing in Somalia during the pandemic. It shows how decades of armed conflict, climate-induced disasters, weak protective structures, disease outbreak, and poverty have left children and their families struggling to meet their basic needs and access essential services. The report analyzes the impact of three new shocks from 2020: COVID-19, significant flooding, and the Desert Locust invasion.

Evaluating COVID-19 Decision-Making in a Humanitarian Setting: The Case Study of Somalia
PLOS Global Public Health, 16 March 2022
This article evaluates the process of policy and operational decision-making in relation to the COVID-19 response in Somalia, a chronically fragile country, focusing particularly on the use of information and the role of transparency. 

Monitoring COVID-19 Impact on Households in Somalia
The World Bank, 16 March 2022
The World Bank builds on a 2020 Somali High Frequency Phone Survey and augments it with a new Somali COVID-19 Household Monitoring Dashboard. The dashboard includes four key findings areas: knowledge of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors, access to basic needs, employment and income, and shocks; users can analyze the data across time, gender, and location.

Sudan

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The Socioeconomic Impacts and Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Omicron Variant: The Case of Sudan
International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability, 4 January 2022
This article assesses the socio-economic effects and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Omicron variant in Sudan. The study shows that Sudan's economy was already stressed before the COVID-19 pandemic, due to currency crises, high inflation rates, and the inability of the authorities to provide subsidies. It found that the outbreak of coronavirus and subsequent lockdown in the 1st wave had further worsened the socio-economic situation due to a sharp downfall in productivity, supply, and demand.

Oral Health in Sudan: The Current Situation during COVID-19 Pandemic
Pan-African Medical Journal, 8 February 2022
This article sought to investigate the various challenges involved in the provision, access, and utilization of oral healthcare services in Sudan, as well as to describe the current situation in the context of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance among Healthcare Staff in Sudan, 2021
Journal of Immunology Research, 9 February 2022
This article assesses healthcare staff's knowledge, perception, and acceptability of various types of COVID-19 vaccination. It reveals the presence of good knowledge and acceptability among medical staff towards COVID-19 vaccinations in Sudan.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Indigenous People in Sudan: An Incipient Crisis
Annals of Medicine & Surgery, 15 February 2022
Despite numerous interventions planned and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Health, with assistance from State Ministries of Health and partners such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank, a few localities in Sudan continue to have low vaccine uptake compared to target populations, particularly among the elderly and those with illnesses.

The Distribution and Determinants of COVID-19 in Sudan, 2020/2021: Analysis of Surveillance Data
ResearchSquare, 17 March 2022
This study uses surveillance data to better understand the distribution and determinants of COVID-19 in Sudan and to construct a threshold level beyond which a dramatic surge may occur. 

Syria

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From Preparedness to Vaccination : WHO Syria - Special COVID-19 Report
ReliefWeb, 16 January 2022
ReliefWeb reports on the World Health Organization’s work in Syria in this special report. Syria's healthcare sector was already falling apart due to war, where less than 50% of hospitals were fully functioning.  

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among People in Syria: An Incipient Crisis
Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 1 February 2022
This study examines reasons behind vaccine hesitation among Syrians. It shows that citizens especially in rural areas are reluctant to receive the vaccine due to countless factors including the vaccine's side effects, the country's conflict, and displacement.  

Mental Health Impacts of Humanitarian Crisis on HCWs in Syria Amidst COVID-19
Medicine, Conflict and Survival, 10 February 2022
This article studies the impact of the humanitarian crisis in Syria as well as the pandemic on healthcare workers’ mental health. With the rise of violence and attacks against HCWs and healthcare facilities in Syria, around 70% of the health workforce have left the country. The estimated number of citizens with mild to moderate mental health disorders has also increased. 

COVID-19 Disease in Syrian Patients With Cancer: Clinical Manifestations, Laboratory Findings, Treatment, and Outcomes
JCO Global Oncology, 1 March 2022
This article aims to examine the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, recovery, and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19 infections in Syria. 

Shattered Lives: Understanding the Mental Health and Psychosocial Needs of Women and Children in Northwest Syria
World Vision International, 28 March 2022
Interviews held by World Vision's Syria Response team with mental health and psycho-social support staff have shown that mental health needs in Syria are intensifying especially among women and children. 

COVID-19 Infected Patients’ Experiences in Syria, and the Role of the Pharmacists during Their Infection
Pharmacy Practice, 29 March 2022
This article assesses the experience and symptoms of COVI-19 patients in Syria, and the means pharmacists used to contribute to their recovery.

Tunisia

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COVID-19 in Tunisia (North Africa): Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 in the General Population of the Capital City Tunis
Research Square, 4 February 2022
This cross-sectional survey among households living in two areas of Tunis shows that more than one third of the citizens got antibodies to SARS-COV-2 by the end of the second epidemic wave. 

Molecular Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Tunisia (North Africa) through Several Successive Waves of COVID-19
Vaccines MDPI, 17 March 2022
This study provides genetic information on SARS-COV-2 that has been circulating around Tunisia for over 17 months, causing a significant number of infections and death.

UAE

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Prevalence, Knowledge and Potential Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability Among University Students in the United Arab Emirates: Findings and Implications
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 11 January 2022
This article assesses the prevalence, knowledge, and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among university students in the UAE. 

Global Healthcare Transactions Series: Impact of COVID-19 Healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions in UAE
Morgan Lewis, 2 March 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic created many uncertainties and challenges for investors and operators alike across the Middle East, including in the United Arab Emirates, which is often considered a regional healthcare and business hub. As a result, 2020 saw many transactions in the healthcare sector either abandoned or put on hold, but the region has since demonstrated signs of a strong recovery in the transactional space in general and particularly in the healthcare industry.

Ethnicity-Specific Features of COVID-19 Among Arabs, Africans, South Asians, East Asians, and Caucasians in the United Arab Emirates
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 16 March 2022
This study used a retrospective chart review of 560 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to urgent care, aiming to stratify the risk factors for the multinational society of the UAE. 

Motivational Factors to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Community Health, 24 March 2022
The UAE has witnessed one of the best vaccination campaigns globally. The motivation of residents in UAE to receive the vaccine varied, where most were health related and others non health related. Nationality was also a relevant factor.

Yemen

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Impact of Falling Remittances Amid COVID-19 on Yemen’s War-Torn Economy
International Food Policy Research Institute, Date Unspecified
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic battered economies across the world, Yemen had already experienced a half decade of civil war, resulting in a loss of approximately 45 percent of its real GDP by the end of 2019, according to the Yemeni Ministry of Planning. As the conflict continued, remittances from Yemenis working outside the country kept many households afloat and became an increasingly important source of income, estimated at $3.77 billion in 2019 — around 13 percent of GDP.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Utilization of Health Services at Public Hospitals in Yemen: A Retrospective Comparative Study 
BMJ open, 3 January 2022
This study examines health services in Yemen both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals, aiming to assess the effect of the pandemic on the utilization of health services.

ACAPS Thematic Report: COVID-19: Current Situation and Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy
Relief Web, 11 January 2022
This article presents data related to COVID-19 infections and explores factors behind vaccine hesitancy. 

Great Disaster: The Impact of COVID-19 on Yemen
Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship and Public Policy, February 2022
This study explains how the civil war in Yemen and the COVID-19 pandemic affect the healthcare sector, as well as the pandemic's effect on the economy.