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.

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).