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COMMUNITY AWARENESS, ADHERENCE TO S.O.P.S IN MINIMIZING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

This chapter presents background of the study, the problem statement, purpose, objectives of the study, research questions, study scope, justification of the study, significance, conceptual framework, as well as operational definition of key terms and concepts.

1.1 Background of the study

People who live in a community often have common interests and values. This is why organizations develop different ways of handling challenges of pandemics in line with the community’s interest and their way of life. Community awareness often refers to the degree that people generally know about each other, about social norms and people’s different roles within the community, and about issues that affect the community (Aldila, et al., 2020).

Community awareness is essential as it enable the community to reduce on their resentment towards specific laws that the government may have put in place. Having a proper community awareness is very critical towards achieving community acceptance of given laws and policies and this increases community participation towards their common cause, Community awareness as describe by Hill is the best way where in family elders recognize their role in the family& recognize their personal capabilities and strengths& appreciate their responsibilities in the community regarding a specific activity in the community (Prandi et al., 2020).

Awareness of any pandemic is very essential to the community as it enables the community to be prepared and provide the support to the vulnerable population to help in reducing the risk of the disease spreading further to other members. In early 2020, the COVID-19 (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) pandemic shocked the world, almost bringing it to an unprecedented stop. The new coronavirus apparently started to spread in China during December 2019, before moving to Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea (first confirmed cases on 20 January 2020), then to the United States, Vietnam, Singapore , and, at the end of January 2020, to Australia, Nepal, Europe (first cases in France on 25 January 2020 and later in Germany, Finland, Italy, Malaysia, Canada, the Middle East, and other countries of the Western Pacific Region and South-East Asia Region, and (3) onwards to Russia, Africa, and Latin America. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a pandemic. By 31 July 2020, COVID-19 had spread across 217+ countries and territories, with almost 17.1 million confirmed cases and 668,073 deaths. America then had confirmed 9.15 million cases, Europe 3.31 million, South-East Asia 2 million, Eastern Mediterranean 1.53 million, Africa 0.75 million, and the Western Pacific 0.31 million cases.

Awareness of the presence of covid-19 Pandemic has helped the community members in different communities to reduce on accept the S.O.Ps like Hand washing, putting on face masks, maintaining social disturbance without being rebellious to the law enforcers (MacPhail, et al., 2020).

According to (Paul & Peter, 2020) globally people are avoiding unnecessary travel and are trying to avoid inviting people over. Studies conducted in between 21st of March and 6th of April states that about 42% people said that they are trying to prevent shopping and are trying to stay at home as much as possible (Gina Gustavsson, 2020). Many researches have been conducted in this regard explaining the behavior of people in the pandemic. Researchers and even the general public are curious to know about the influence of community awareness on the adherence to COVID-19 pandemic standard operating procedures.

Owen (2020) indicates that there is currently a slight reduction on the COVID-19 spread because of the strict adherence to COVID-19 S.O.Ps by different communities for example in the Asian countries were the observance of S.O.Ps has been highly emphasized the reducing in the Cases has been very high. In order to ensure that the strict observance most of the business have been carried to an online platform so as to reduce on the chances of people get in contact and increase the spread of COVID-19. Historically, the world has successfully faced serious epidemics like Malaria, Small pox, Influenza, Cholera, Yellow fever, Leprosy, Ebola, swine flu etc. Right now, no matter the world has progressed so much but still some anomalies in human civilization exist. Like the humans have become so much sophisticated that they open themselves up to various trades, different eco systems, populations, and become more curious. As a result, they have become more vulnerable to catching strange diseases and this thing has paved the way towards the spread of most recent and life threatening COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately as time is progressing, this COVID-19 pandemic has started becoming a part of the history books (Walsh, 2020). In the effort of combating with COVID-19, a great tribute to the Public Healthcare Systems whose strategy and efforts has played a very effective role all over the world in decreasing the number of fatalities and this to large extend has been praised on the high level of community awareness globally Uganda inclusive.

1.2 Statement of the problem

According to WHO, (2021) 4,481,152 people have died so far from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak as of August 26, 2021, however its rate of spread is one which is more faster than almost all the pandemics ever been in the world, as currently there more than 213,000,000 people who have contracted the Corona virus. Despite the high deaths numbers due to technology available there has been very high community awareness globally through the communication channels like social media (face book, you tube, Google plus), radios, television, and newspapers.

Currently in Uganda there has been 119,000 cases of corona virus with a total of 2,968 deaths, despite the government of Uganda continuous community awareness strategies the corona virus cases have been rising in the country. This therefore has made many researchers to question community awareness, adherence to S.O.P.S in minimizing the spread of Covid-19

1.3 General Objective

Community Awareness, adherence to S.O.P.s in minimizing the spread of COVID-19

1.4 Objectives

To examine the role of self-management in minimizing the spread of COVID-19
To determine the influence of self-motivation in minimizing the spread of COVID-19

To investigate roles of Putting on a mask, washing Hands on Minimizing the spread of COVID-19

To investigate the influence of culture on minimizing the spread of COVID-19

1.5 Research questions

What is the role of self-management in minimizing the spread of COVID-19?
What is the influence of self-motivation in minimizing the spread of COVID-19?

What are the roles of Putting on a mask, washing Hands on minimizing the spread of COVID-19?

What is the influence of culture on minimizing the spread of COVID-19

1.6 Scope of the study

This section will include the content, geographical, time scope.

1.6.1 Content scope

The study will concentrate on the variables of awareness, adherence, minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

1.6.2 The geographical scope

The study will be carried out in Banda, Kampala Uganda. .

1.6.3 Time scope

The period of data considered will be from 2020 to 2021.

1.7 significance of the study

The study will provide information regarding the role of self-management in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

The study will provide information to the Government on the influence of self-motivation in minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

The study will also enable the future academicians find information regarding the roles of Putting on a mask, washing Hands on minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

The study will also provide necessary information regarding the influence of culture on minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

1.8 Conceptual frame work