Perceptions and attitudes of secondary school teachers from first to third grade towards COVID-19 infection and vaccination in Karbala city

This study aimed to examine the knowledge and practices of primary school teachers in the city of Karbala in handling COVID-19 disease. The study was conducted as a descriptive and cross-sectional study between 15.11. 2022 and 15.05.2023. Participants of the study comprised 310 teachers from 17 different institutions providing primary education in Karbala city. The Sociodemographic Characteristics and Knowledge and Practice Questionnaire on COVID-19 Disease was used to collect the data. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM® SPSS 26 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software. Pearson's Chi-Square analysis was used to analyze categorical data, and values p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. The rate of at least one family member contracting COVID-19 was found to be 72.3%. There was a statistically significant difference between the reasons for the participants not receiving vaccination and their willingness to be vaccinated in the future (p<0.05). Of teachers who did not want to be vaccinated in the future, 29.5% stated that they were against getting vaccinated because they were skeptical about vaccine production speed and the vaccine's effectiveness. There was a significant difference in the rate of "doubting the production speed and effectiveness of vaccines" between teachers who wanted and did not want to be vaccinated (54.2% vs. 29.5%) (p=0.025). When the difference between the teachers who stated that they did not trust the producers and the teachers who thought about whether they would be vaccinated in the future was examined, those who did not want to be vaccinated stated that they would not be vaccinated because they did not trust the producers (p=0.006). Official and scientific explanations made over time to overcome the hesitation, fear, and mistrust against the vaccination process worldwide have had a positive impact on individual perceptions and attitudes. Personal hygiene practices, isolation, and vaccination are essential in the effective fight against the pandemic. In this process, training all individuals, especially teachers, with the participation of nurses and other health professionals, can significantly contribute to protecting and maintaining public health practices. Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic, Teachers