Public knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 before resumption of work and production: A cross-sectional study in Zhejiang province (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In an effort to mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19，China has taking a series of strict prevention and control measures. Official statistics show that the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths has been controlled since mid-February. On March 2, 2020, the emergency response level of major public health emergencies in Zhejiang, China, was adjusted from level one to level two. The Factory gradually resumed work and students go back to school day by day. OBJECTIVE The prime objective of this study is to explores the knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 before resumption of work and production in Zhejiang province. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was conducted across 11 regions in Zhejiang province from March 13 to March 23, 2020. The survey instrument consists of demographic characteristics, 10 items on knowledge, 4 items on attitudes, and 10 items on practices. Our statistical analyses are based on descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 51,640 participants were enrolled, nearly two thirds (67.1%) were female, around half the participants (44.1%) was aged 31 to 40 years. The highest proportion of the respondents had an education level of bachelor degree or higher (36.8%). The largest group of occupations are business service workers (35.4%) and students (26.4%), most participants were live in urban (93.1%). Results show that most of respondents (84.4%) have good knowledge towards COVID-19. The participants demonstrated higher awareness of transmission (89.8%) and incubation period (74.6%), but lower in symptoms (57.1%). More than half of participants (58.7%) show relax than before, nearly 85.4% of participants are optimistic and believe that the epidemic will end in three months. A large majority of participants (87.0%) show well preventive action. Almost 93.1%, 96.5% and 95.0% wore face masks when going out in public, using tissues or handkerchiefs cover their nose and mouth when they coughing or sneezing, practiced proper hand hygiene by frequently washing their hands respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female, with the education level of bachelor or higher, medical staff, urban resident, with good knowledge level and optimistic attitude participants were more likely to have well practice to avoid COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that residents in Zhejiang province had a relatively good awareness of COVID-19 before the resumption of work and production, as well as optimistic attitudes and appropriate practices. Efforts should be directed towards raising the awareness of the disease to improve their practices in the current COVID-19 pandemic, especially eliminate student’s anxiety.