Stanford University

Between Electoral Cooptation and Violence: Managing Competitive Authoritarian Elections

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Autocratic elections are often marred with systematic intimidation and violence toward voters and candidates. When do authoritarian regimes resort to violent electoral strategies? I argue that electoral violence acts as a risk-management strategy in competitive authoritarian elections where: (a) the regime’s capacity for coopting competitors, local elites, and voters is low, and (b) the expected political cost of electoral violence is low. I test these propositions by explaining the subnational distribution of electoral violence during the most violent election in Mubarak’s Egypt (1981-2011): the 2005 Parliamentary Election. The results indicate that electoral violence is higher in districts where: the regime’s capacity for coopting local elites and competitors is low, clientelistic strategies are costlier and less effective, and citizens’ capacity for non-electoral mobilization is low. The conclusions provide lessons for efforts to contain electoral violence in less democratic contexts.

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Autocratic elections are often marred with systematic intimidation and violence toward voters and candidates. When do authoritarian regimes resort to violent electoral strategies?

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CDDRL Working Papers
Authors
Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed

Book Launch: Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World

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Book Launch: Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World

To mark the eleven-year anniversary of the Arab Uprisings, The George Washington University’s Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) and Stanford University’s Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) invite you to a series of panels examining major findings from the edited volume Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World: Regimes, Oppositions, and External Actors after the Spring, edited by Lisa Blaydes, Amr Hamzawy, and Hesham Sallam and published by the University of Michigan Press (2022).
 

About the Volume:


The advent of the Arab Spring in late 2010 was a hopeful moment for partisans of progressive change throughout the Arab world. Authoritarian leaders who had long stood in the way of meaningful political reform in the countries of the region were either ousted or faced the possibility of political if not physical demise. The downfall of long-standing dictators as they faced off with strong-willed protesters was a clear sign that democratic change was within reach. Throughout the last ten years, however, the Arab world has witnessed authoritarian regimes regaining resilience, pro-democracy movements losing momentum, and struggles between the first and the latter involving regional and international powers.

This volume explains how relevant political players in Arab countries among regimes, opposition movements, and external actors have adapted ten years after the onset of the Arab Spring. It includes contributions on Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and Tunisia. It also features studies on the respective roles of the United States, China, Iran, and Turkey vis-à-vis questions of political change and stability in the Arab region, and includes a study analyzing the role of Saudi Arabia and its allies in subverting revolutionary movements in other countries.
 

Schedule

 

8:00-8:30 am: Coffee and light breakfast

8:30-9:00 am: Opening Remarks

Mona Atia, IMES, The George Washington University
Larry Diamond, CDDRL, Stanford University
Hicham Alaoui, Hicham Alaoui Foundation

9:00-10:45 am Panel I: Authoritarian Survival Strategies after the Arab Uprisings

Michael Herb, “The Decay of Family Rule in Saudi Arabia”
Farah Al-Nakib, “Kuwait’s Changing Landscape: Palace Projects and the Decline of Rule by Consensus”
Samia Errazzouki, “The People vs. the Palace: Power and Politics in Morocco since 2011”
Moderator: Hesham Sallam, CDDRL, Stanford University

10:45-11:00 am: Coffee break

11:00 am -1:00 pm Panel II: Opposition Mobilization and Challenges to Democratization

Khalid Medani, “The Prospects and Challenges of Democratization in Sudan”
Sean Yom, “Mobilization without Movement: Opposition and Youth Activism in Jordan”
Lina Khatib, “Cycles of Contention in Lebanon”
David Patel, “The Nexus of Patronage, Petrol, and Population in Iraq”
Moderator: Ayca Alemdaroglu, CDDRL, Stanford University

1:00-2:00 pm: Lunch

2:00-3:45 pm Panel III: External Actors and Responses to Popular Mobilization

Sarah Yerkes, U.S. Influence on Arab Regimes: From Reluctant Democracy Supporter to Authoritarian Enabler”
Ayca Alemdaroglu, “Myths of Expansion: Turkey’s Changing Policy in the Arab World”
Moderator: Nathan Brown, The George Washington University

 

SPEAKER BIOS

Hicham Alaoui is the founder and director of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation and a scholar on the comparative politics of democratization and religion, with a focus on the MENA region.

Ayça Alemdaroğlu is a Research Scholar and Associate Director of the Program on Turkey at the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University.

Mona Atia is Associate Professor of Geography and International Affairs at the George Washington University.

Nathan Brown is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Larry Diamond is a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, where he serves as director of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy.

Samia Errazzouki is a PhD candidate in history at the University of California Davis and a former Morocco-based journalist.

Michael Herb is Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University.

Farah Al-Nakib is Associate Professor of History at the California Polytechnic State University.

Lina Khatib is the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.

Khalid Mustafa Medani is Associate Professor of Political Science and Islamic Studies at McGill University.

David Siddhartha Patel is a Senior Fellow and Associate Director for Research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University.

Hesham Sallam is a Research Scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.

Sarah Yerkes is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Sean Yom is Associate Professor of Political Science at Temple University, Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and Board Member of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation.

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Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street Northwest Room 602
Washington, DC 20052

Panel Discussions

Hicham Alaoui Examines Pact-Making in Middle East

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Hesham Sallam
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In a talk hosted by the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy on October 31, 2022, Hicham Alaoui, founder and director of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation, discussed his latest book – Pacted Democracy in the Middle East: Tunisia and Egypt in Comparative Perspective (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022).

During the event, co-sponsored by Stanford’s Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies and the Center for African Studies, Alaoui presented a new theory for how democracy can materialize in the Middle East, and the broader Muslim world. He explained that one pathway to democratization lays not in resolving important, but often irreconcilable, debates about the role of religion in politics. Rather, it requires that Islamists and their secular opponents focus on the concerns of pragmatic survival—that is, compromise through pacting, rather than battling through difficult philosophical issues about faith.

You can purchase the book online, and watch a recording of the event below:

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To mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of CDDRL, the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL hosted a talk featuring Hicham Alaoui, founder and director of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation, who discussed his latest book – Pacted Democracy in the Middle East: Tunisia and Egypt in Comparative Perspective (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022).

Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World

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Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World cover

The advent of the Arab Spring in late 2010 was a hopeful moment for partisans of progressive change throughout the Arab world. Authoritarian leaders who had long stood in the way of meaningful political reform in the countries of the region were either ousted or faced the possibility of political if not physical demise. The downfall of long-standing dictators as they faced off with strong-willed protesters was a clear sign that democratic change was within reach. Throughout the last ten years, however, the Arab world has witnessed authoritarian regimes regaining resilience, pro-democracy movements losing momentum, and struggles between the first and the latter involving regional and international powers.

This volume explains how relevant political players in Arab countries among regimes, opposition movements, and external actors have adapted ten years after the onset of the Arab Spring. It includes contributions on Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and Tunisia. It also features studies on the respective roles of the United States, China, Iran, and Turkey vis-à-vis questions of political change and stability in the Arab region, and includes a study analyzing the role of Saudi Arabia and its allies in subverting revolutionary movements in other countries.

Editors
 

Lisa Blaydes is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Stanford University.

Amr Hamzawy is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Hesham Sallam is a Research Scholar at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law in the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University.

Praise / Awards
 

“With analytical distance now possible, the contributors to this volume show something more subtle than the simply failed revolutions. Instead, they probe ways in which regimes have significantly evolved but also how politics and contestation continue in ways that seem to compensate in persistence what they may sometimes lack in drama.”
—Nathan Brown, George Washington University

“A spectacular and timely volume that is both theoretically rigorous and empirically rich. Drawing on sophisticated case studies from across the Middle East, this volume systematically analyzes developments ten years after the Arab Spring.”
—Amaney A. Jamal, Princeton University

”This is an outstanding collection of essays on the post-2011 political struggles across the Arab world. The chapters feature first rate work by top notch scholars, with empirically rich and sharply analytical examinations of the region's turbulent politics.”
—Marc Lynch, George Washington University

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Regimes, Oppositions, and External Actors after the Spring

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Lisa Blaydes
Amr Hamzawy
Hesham Sallam
Book Publisher
University of Michigan Press

Pacted Democracy in the Middle East: Tunisia and Egypt in Comparative Perspective

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Hicham Alaoui Pacted Democracy in the Middle East event

To mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of CDDRL, Hicham Alaoui joins ARD to discuss his recently released book, Pacted Democracy in the Middle East: Tunisia and Egypt in Comparative Perspective (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022). Click here to order a copy of the book.

Pacted Democracy in the Middle East provides a new theory for how democracy can materialize in the Middle East, and the broader Muslim world. It shows that one pathway to democratization lays not in resolving important, but often irreconcilable, debates about the role of religion in politics. Rather, it requires that Islamists and their secular opponents focus on the concerns of pragmatic survival—that is, compromise through pacting, rather than battling through difficult philosophical issues about faith. This is the only book-length treatment of this topic, and one that aims to redefine the boundaries of an urgent problem that continues to haunt struggles for democracy in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

hicham alaoui
Hicham Alaoui is the founder and director of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation, which undertakes innovative social scientific research in the Middle East and North Africa. He is a scholar on the comparative politics of democratization and religion, with a focus on the MENA region.

In the past, he served as a visiting scholar and Consulting Professor at the Center for Democracy, Development and Rule of Law at Stanford University.  He more recently served as postdoctoral fellow and research associate at Harvard University. He was also Regents Lecturer at several campuses of the University of California system. Outside of academia, he has worked with the United Nations in various capacities, such as the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. He has also worked with the Carter Center in its overseas missions on conflict resolution and democracy advancement. He has served on the MENA Advisory Committee for Human Rights Watch and the Advisory Board of the Carnegie Middle East Center. He served on the board of the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University and has recently joined the Advisory Board of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard.

He holds an A.B. from Princeton University, M.A. from Stanford University, and D.Phil. from the University of Oxford. His latest book is Pacted Democracy in the Middle East: Tunisia and Egypt in Comparative Perspective (Palgrave, 2022). His memoirs, Journal d'un Prince Banni, were published in 2014 by Éditions Grasset, and have since been translated into several languages. He is also co-author with Robert Springborg of The Political Economy of Arab Education (Lynne Rienner, 2021), and co-author with the same colleague on the forthcoming volume Security Assistance in the Middle East: Challenges and the Need for Change (Lynne Rienner, 2023). His academic research has been widely published in various French and English journals, magazines, and newspapers of record.

This event is co-sponsored by ARD, the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, and the Center for African Studies at Stanford University.​

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CAS

Larry Diamond

In-person
Encina Commons Room 123
615 Crothers Way, Stanford, CA

Hicham Alaoui
Lectures
Arab Reform and Democracy Speaker Series

Classless Politics

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Classless Politics book cover

Since the 1970s, the Egyptian state has embarked on a far-reaching and destabilizing project of economic liberalization, reneging on its commitments to social welfare. Despite widespread socioeconomic grievances stemming from these policies, class politics and battles over wealth redistribution have largely been sidelined from elite-led national politics. Instead, conflicts over identity have raged, as Islamist movements became increasingly prominent political players.

Classless Politics offers a counterintuitive account of the relationship between neoliberal economics and Islamist politics in Egypt that sheds new light on the worldwide trend of “more identity, less class.” Hesham Sallam examines why Islamist movements have gained support at the expense of the left, even amid conflicts over the costs of economic reforms. Rather than highlighting the stagnancy of the left or the agility of Islamists, he pinpoints the historical legacies of authoritarian survival strategies. As the regime resorted to economic liberalization in the 1970s, it tacitly opened political space for Islamist movements to marginalize its leftist opponents. In the long run, this policy led to the fragmentation of opponents of economic reform, the increased salience of cultural conflicts within the left, and the restructuring of political life around questions of national and religious identity.

Historically rich and theoretically insightful, this book demonstrates how the participation of Islamist groups shapes the politics of neoliberal reform and addresses why economic liberalization since the 1970s has contributed to the surge in culture wars around the world today.

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Islamist Movements, the Left, and Authoritarian Legacies in Egypt

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Hesham Sallam
Book Publisher
Columbia University Press

ARD Releases July 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

Authors
Serage Amatory
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News
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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the July 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

Follow Mofeed-19 on Social Media

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

 

MENA

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Downplaying, Trust, and Compliance with Public Health Measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the MENA
POMEPS, June 2022
This working paper explains the varying levels of compliance with public health measures. Authors build on literature about compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions and develop a theoretical argument for when trust in authorities is expected to support non-compliance, rather than compliance.

Impact of the Stringency and Volatility of COVID Containment Measures on Firms' Performances in the MENA region?
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper examines the impact of COVID containment measures and their volatility on firms’ performances. Findings indicate that tightening restrictions are associated with less sales.

Does COVID-19 Pandemic Spur Digital Business Transformation in the MENA Region? Evidence from Firm Level Data
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This article assesses the role of the COVID-19 outbreak in accelerating digital transformation in the Middle East and North Africa region. The analysis relied on micro data collected from 5,480 firms surveyed in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. 

Are Labor Markets in the Middle East and North Africa Recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic? 
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper explores how labor market outcomes for MENA workers have evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper uses the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Economic Research Forum (ERF) COVID-19 MENA Monitor phone surveys in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia to examine outcomes of employment, unemployment, and labor force participation, along with hours of work and hourly wages.

Job Loss during COVID-19: Estimating the Poverty and Food Security Effects in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco 
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper discusses the impact of job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on household income and food security in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. The authors show that laid-off workers have a higher propensity to consume their savings, get help from relatives, sell assets and borrow from family.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women's Care Work and Employment in the Middle East and North Africa
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper examines how MENA women’s unpaid care responsibilities have changed during the pandemic. 

Employment and Care Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Persistent Inequality in the Middle East and North Africa
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper studies employment rates, wage inequality, hours of work, and employment recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic and after a general recovery in mid-2021. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on Jobs, Incomes and Food Security in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco 
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on job and income losses, and its relation to pushing people in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco into extreme poverty.

Impact of COVID-19 on Health Professionals' Education in Eastern Mediterranean Region
East Mediterranean Health Journal, July 2022
This article assesses health professionals' education in the East Mediterranean Region and explores the strategies adopted to ensure the continuity of their education in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Service Delivery for Noncommunicable Diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. 
East Mediterranean Health Journal, July 2022
This article reports on an Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) assessment by the World Health Organization to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on NCD-related services, programs, funding, and consideration of NCDs in COVID-19 response.

A New Approach in Identifying the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on University Student’s Academic Performance
Alexandria Engineering Journal, July 2022
This article uses statistics and machine learning approaches to study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on education systems especially on university students’ psychological health. The study was performed on students in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan and looked at key determinants such as the use of digital devices, sleep habits, social communication, emotional mental state, and academic performance.

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, 2 July 2022 
This report studies how the COVID-19 pandemic affected gender equality and food security in the MENA region. The regional focus of the study identified key themes, challenges, and norms across multiple contexts in the Arab region, while highlighting specific findings for Iraq and the Sudan.

Assessment of the Non-Communicable Diseases Kit for Humanitarian Emergencies in Yemen and Libya
BMJ Global Health, 7 July 2022
This article provides a summary of the key methodologies, findings, and limitations of non-communicable diseases kit assessments conducted in Libya and Yemen in order to ensure the contents are fit for purpose and to assess usability and utility.

Navigating beyond COVID-19 Recovery in the MENA Region
OECD, 14 July 2022
This article reflects on the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on MENA countries and the potential changes it may bring to their reform agendas. It addresses the ongoing effects of the crisis and the long-term consequences and identifies emerging new trends. 

Pandemic Effects: COVID-19 and the Crisis of Development in the Middle East
Development and Change, 27 July 2022
This article explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on socio-economic development and political mobilization in the Middle East. It argues that beyond its direct public health implications, the pandemic is serving to intensify the extreme inequalities in wealth and power that have characterized the region for many years. 

Algeria

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The Impact of e-Learning Systems on Motivating Students and Enhancing Their Outcomes during COVID-19: A Mixed-Method Approach
Frontiers in Psychology, 29 July 2022
This article analyzes the impact of e-learning systems utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic across Algerian universities on higher education students' motivation and outcomes.

 

Bahrain

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Bahrain COVID-19 Case Studies
World Health Organization, July 2022
This World Health Organization report lauds the Bahraini government for its management of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights lessons learned from the Kingdom’s lockdown, testing, and vaccination experiences. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on Summer Travels in 2022
Derasat, 25 July 2022
This article from the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies "Derasat" reflects on the results of an opinion poll to study how COVID-19 impacted summer travels in 2022. [Arabic]

 

 

Egypt

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Egypt COVID-19 Country Case Study
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper examines COVID-19 measures undertaken by the Egyptian authorities and the effect they had on employment, wages, income, and enterprises. 

Promoting Family-Friendly Jobs and Labor Market Policies in Egypt in the Context of COVID-19 and beyond
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This policy brief shows how the COVID-19 outbreak impacted females’ employment, time-use, and work preferences in Egypt and how it increased the burden of domestic work and unpaid work imposed on women with children, through the restrictions, measures, and closure of daycares and schools.

Outcome and Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients Associated with Stroke: A Multicenter Hospital-Based Study in Egypt
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 7 July 2022
The article studies the impact of COVID-19 on strokes by examining the outcomes and characteristics of patients who had an acute ischemic stroke due to COVID-19 infection.

Clinical and Chest Computed Tomography Features of Patients Suffering from Mild and Severe COVID-19 at Fayoum University Hospital in Egypt
PLOS ONE, 8 July 2022
This article investigates whether chest CT characteristics are correlated to COVID-19 severity. Specifically, it evaluates the potential association between clinical data and 25-point CT score and investigates their predictive significance in COVID-19-positive patients at Fayoum University Hospital in Egypt.

Characteristics, Causes and Impact of Headache among a Sample of Physicians Working during COVID-19 Pandemic
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 14 July 2022 
This article determines the prevalence of new onset headache among physicians working in COVID-19 isolation hospitals and its impact on their performance. Authors also aimed to explore factors affecting the headache symptoms and its clinical characteristics.

 

Iraq

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Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on COVID-19 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey
Passer Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, June 2022
This article aims to gain a better understanding of the people’s awareness and their attitude towards the pandemic by conducting a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) survey in Kurdistan.

Religious Beliefs and Work Conscience of Muslim Nurses in Iraq during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Historical Thought and Source Interpretation, 8 July 2022
This study aims to evaluate the impact of religious beliefs on work conscience of healthcare workers through a standard questionnaire conducted on 1800 Muslim nurses in Iraq during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prevalence of SARS -CoV-2 IgG/IgM Antibodies among Patients in Zakho City, Kurdistan, Iraq
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 28 July 2022
This article aims to detect seropositivity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus among outpatients, symptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals in Zakho City in Kurdistan.

Potential Role of TLR3 and RIG-I Genes Expression in Surviving COVID-19 Patients with Different Severity of Infection
Iraqi Journal of Science, 31 July 2022
This article reports on a case-control study (100 recovered COVID 19 cases and 100 healthy individuals) which aimed to determine the role of gender, age, TLR3 and RIG-I genes in COVID-19 aggressiveness.

Jordan

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Obstacles in the Road of Biomedical Research on COVID-19 in Jordan: Poor Funding and Beyond
Journal of Global Health, July 2022 
This article examines the contributions of Jordanian scientists to academic studies on COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, categorizes them, and provides insights on the challenges the researchers face such as limited funding. 

Dr. Assessment Problems Faced by Faculty Members at Fine Arts Faculties in Jordan During COVID-19 Epidemic
Journal of Arts and Humanities, 4 July 2022
This article examines the most common assessment challenges facing faculty members at Fine Arts Faculties in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic by surveying a sample of 38 faculty members working in Jordanian universities.

Vaccination Intention against COVID-19 among the Unvaccinated in Jordan during the Early Phase of the Vaccination Drive: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Vaccines, 21 July 2022
This article assesses the intention and predictors of accepting the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in Jordan. The article found that despite having high rates of intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, older adults and housewives, general workers and unemployed individuals were less likely to be vaccinated.

Establishing the First COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Biobank in Jordan
Biopreservation and Biobanking, 28 July 2022
This article reflects on the identification and storage of 214 fresh frozen plasma units qualified for CCP-plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients according to World Health Organization standards and the subsequent establishment of the first COVID-19-convalescent plasma data and plasma biobank for treating COVID-19-infected cancer patients in Jordan and the region.

 

Lebanon

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Predicting Intention to Vaccinate against COVID-19 in Older Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Findings from a Multi-Wave Study
medRxiv, 24 July 2022
This working paper aims to examine the prevalence, reasons and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine refusal among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon. 

Fear and Death Anxiety in the Shadow of COVID-19 among the Lebanese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study
PLOS ONE, 27 July 2022
This article assesses the fear related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among the adult population in Lebanon. Death anxiety was identified as the most significant predictor of fear related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Libya

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Business Resilience in Libya in the Post-COVID Age
Spark, 17 July 2022 
This article reflects on SPARK’s extension of the Tadamon program to Libya with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) to support medium, small, and micro enterprises in order to create job opportunities. The article assesses the resilience of businesses in Libya and provides further resilience designs. 

Low SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Blood Donors after the First 6 Months of COVID-19 Epidemic in the Tobruk Region, Eastern Libya
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 27 July 2022
This article estimates the seroprevalence rate of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) in blood donors' population to reflect the progression of the epidemic in the Tobruk region and reveal how many people have contracted the virus because only symptomatic cases had been registered.

 

 

Morocco 

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Morocco COVID-19 Country Case Study
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper assesses COVID-19 measures undertaken by Moroccan authorities and the effect they had on employment, wages, income, and enterprises.

Contribution to the Study of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Management of Accounting Results: Case of the Telecommunications and New Technologies Sector in Morocco
Revue Du Contrôle, De La Comptabilité Et De l’Audit, 26 July 2022
This article focuses on the management of corporate accounting results in the first year of the pandemic in Morocco. It analyzed the annual financial reports published on the website of the Moroccan Capital Market Authority to verify ex-post whether earnings management has taken place for all listed companies in the telecommunications and new technologies sector.

 

Oman

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Seroconversion of COVID-19 in Frontline Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman
Oman Medical Journal, July 2022
This article studies the seroconversion among frontline staff at the highest risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infections, including emergency department, critical care, and COVID-19 isolation wards in all healthcare job categories.

Prophylactic Anticoagulant Treatment Might Have an Anti-Inflammatory Effect and Reduce Mortality Rates in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients?
Oman Medical Journal, July 2022
This article studies the anti-inflammatory effects of Prophylactic Anticoagulant Therapy (PAT) in COVID-19 patients. The article eventually determined that PAT was not effective. 

Impact of the COVID-19 Face Mask Disposal on Environment and Perception of People of the Sultanate of Oman
The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 4 July 2022
This article assesses how the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupted the household waste management chain in the Sultanate of Oman. In addition, a descriptive survey has also identified people's perception about the existing household waste management system.

Factors Sustaining Clients' Behavioral Intentions To Use Smartphones-Banking In Oman: A Survey Study Based On COVID-19 Crisis
OSF-Center for Open Science, 9 July 2022
This article surveys the opinions of a sample of bank clients operating in the Omani banking sector regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the client's behavioral intentions in adopting smartphone banking techniques and their sustainability use after the crisis. 

Conceptualizing Graduates Attributes (GAs) in English Language Teacher Education Programs in Oman During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sage Open, 25 July 2022
This article examines stakeholders’ perspectives and aspirations concerning the graduate attributes used in English-language teacher education programs in Oman during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Palestine

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An Investigation into Religious Awareness as a Crucial Factor in Adherence to COVID-19 Medical Directives in Palestine
BMC Public Health, 13 July 2022
This article examines the role of religion as a factor in adherence to the COVID-19 medical directives in Palestine. 

 

Qatar

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COVID-19 Disease Severity in Persons Infected with the Omicron Variant Compared with the Delta Variant in Qatar
Journal of Global Health, 6 July 2022
This article studies the disease severity associated with the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to determine the appropriate management strategies at the individual and population levels. The authors assess the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in persons infected with the Omicron vs the Delta variant.

Duration of Immune Protection of SARS-CoV-2 Natural Infection Against Reinfection in Qatar
MedRxiv, 7 July 2022
This working paper investigates the duration of protection afforded by natural infection, the effect of viral immune evasion on duration of protection, and protection against severe SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, in Qatar, between February 28, 2020 and June 5, 2022.

Effects of Previous Infection and Vaccination on Symptomatic Omicron Infections
The New England Journal of Medicine, 7 July 2022 
This article evaluates the effectiveness of vaccination with Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna, natural immunity due to previous infection with variants other than omicron, and hybrid immunity (previous infection and vaccination) against symptomatic Omicron infection and against severe, critical, or fatal coronavirus disease 2019.

COVID-19 Risk Score as a Public Health Tool to Guide Targeted Testing: A Demonstration Study in Qatar
PLOS ONE, 19 July 2022
This article presents the development of a COVID-19 risk score to guide targeted RT-PCR testing in Qatar in order to identify those at highest risk of having the infection.

Assessing Factors Influencing Technology Adoption for Online Purchasing Amid COVID-19 in Qatar: Moderating Role of Word of Mouth
Frontiers in Environmental Science, 25 July 2022 
This article examines how contingencies disrupt existing theoretical models and their implications for the post-COVID-19 era for online purchases. 

 

Saudi Arabia

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Fungal Coinfections in COVID-19-Positive Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia
Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology, July 2022
This article aims to investigate the relationship between fungal coinfections and morbidity and mortality rates in patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary hospital in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Awareness, knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices before the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, July 2022 
This article assesses the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of the general population in Saudi Arabia towards COVID-19, as well as its adherence to preventive measures and its willingness to take the vaccine.

Contribution of Saudi Arabia to Regional and Global Publications on COVID-19–Related Research: A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis
Journal of Infection and Public Health, July 2022
This article assesses the increasing Saudi Arabian contribution to worldwide research on COVID-19. 

Sustainable Participatory Governance: Data-Driven Discovery of Parameters for Planning Online and In-Class Education in Saudi Arabia During COVID-19
Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 19 July 2022
This article provides a case study on sustainable participatory governance using a data-driven parameter discovery for planning online, in-class, and blended learning in Saudi Arabia evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Functional and Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Rheumatic Patients’ Quality of Life in Saudi Arabia
Quality of Life Research, 20 July 2022
This article studies the impact of COVID-19 on rheumatic patients both functionally and psychosocially, in addition to the virus' impact on their quality of life. 

Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca) in Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province
Cureus, 26 July 2022
This article studies the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine and the factors that contribute to their occurrence. 

COVID-19 and Saudi Arabia: Awareness, Attitude, and Practice
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 26 July 2022
This article reviews the awareness/knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP)-related publications in Saudi Arabia up to date to understand the impact of COVID-19 on these domains. 

 

Somalia

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Overcoming COVID-19 Restrictions Through Adaptive Measures that Facilitate Access to Agricultural and Nutrition Knowledge
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2022 
This fact sheet documents a new distance learning initiative in Somalia through radio launched in 2020 by FAO as a response to public health threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, complementing cash+ activities and replacing face-to-face beneficiary training.

Double Burden on Health Services in Somalia due to COVID-19 and Conflict
Annals of Medicine and Surgery, July 2022
This article explores the detrimental effects of conflict in Somalia during the COVID-19 pandemic such as the inadequate amount of available health workers, facilities, and health service delivery methods.

 

Sudan

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Attitude and Behavior of Emerging Novel COVID-19 Disease - Khartoum, Sudan
Medical Journal of Clinical Trials and Case Studies, 18 July 2022
This article assesses the attitudes and behavior of 1200 Sudani participants towards COVID-19 and reports negative attitudes in more than half of the participants. 

 

Syria

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Knowledge and Attitudes about Influenza and the Common Cold in Syria Post COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 16 July 2022
This article examines the knowledge and understanding of common flu and influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria. Key findings showed that most people cannot differentiate between common cold and influenza. 

 

Tunisia

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Tunisia COVID-19 Country Case Study
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper examines COVID-19 measures undertaken by the Tunisian authorities and the effect they had on employment, wages, income, and enterprises. 

Adverse Effects of Personal Protective Equipment among First Line COVID-19 Healthcare Professionals: A Survey in Southern Tunisia
Infection, Disease and Health Journal, 12 July 2022
This article assesses the negative effects of personal protective equipment on healthcare workers in Tunisia. It estimates the prevalence of the adverse effects and determines their predictive factors.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Roles of the Health Regulatory Authority in Tunisia
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 28 July 2022
This article outlines the roles of the Tunisian regulatory authority, the Directorate of Pharmacy and Medicines (DPM) at the Ministry of Health, in the registration and the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Income Loss and COVID-19: Evidence from Tunisia
European Journal of Business and Management Research, 28 July 2022
This article assesses income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia in light of factors such as education, job sectors, and income brackets. 

 

UAE

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The Rise of Telepharmacy Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Assessment of Services in the United Arab Emirates
Pharmacy Practice, 4 July 2022
This article explores changes in community pharmacies’ processes in response to the pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and factors affecting the adoption of these changes.

Distress Symptoms during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Study with the General Population of the United Arab Emirates
Pharmacy Practice, 4 July 2022
This article analyzes distress symptoms surfacing during the COVID-19 lockdown period and their associated factors among a sample of the UAE population.

The Radiography Students’ Perspective of the Impact of COVID-19 on Education and Training Internationally: A Cross Sectional Survey of the UK Devolved Nations (UKDN) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Radiography, 18 July 2022
This article investigates the impact of COVID-19 on the education and training of radiography students internationally in the United Kingdom Devolved Nations (UKDN) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to determine any possible impact on their future careers.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Mental Illness Symptoms among School Students Post Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional National Study
medRxiv, 21 July 2022
This working paper analyzes the frequency of depression, anxiety and PTSD after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in school students in the UAE. 

ABO Blood Group in Relation to COVID-19 Susceptibility and Clinical Outcomes: A Retrospective Observational Study in the United Arab Emirates
Life, 29 July 2022
The article studies the relation between ABO blood groups and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

 

Yemen

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Situation Report for COVID-19: Yemen
MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis - Imperial College London, 3 July 2022 
This report uses excess mortality data in Yemen for the period of the COVID-19 epidemic, calculated by comparing current mortality to historic trends and then back-calculating an inferred number of COVID-19 infections using mathematical modeling techniques to estimate the number of people that have been infected and to make short-term projections for future healthcare needs.

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the July 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

ARD Releases June 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

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Serage Amatory
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News
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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the June 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. 

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 

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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

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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

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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).

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the June 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

ARD Releases May 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

Authors
Serage Amatory
News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the May 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. 

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

Follow Mofeed-19 on Social Media

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

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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

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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

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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 

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the May 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

ARD Releases April 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

Authors
Serage Amatory
News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the April issue of Mofeed Digest (April 2022), a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. 

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

Follow Mofeed-19 on Social Media

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.

 

 

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the April 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

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