Emergency Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic of the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah: A Report on Stakeholder’s Opinions

Abstract

The devastating effect of COVID-19 has impacted global citizens for the past three years. More than six hundred and forty-six million people have been infected and there have been almost seven million casualties. Consequently, new variants have been discovered in quick succession around the world. Global communities have witnessed cruel fatalities and lost properties and businesses, and experienced the usual activities of service sectors being hampered, including those of post-secondary educational institutions, and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately damaged family life and society in general. Emergency management strategies were adopted by educational institutions around the world, including in the Middle East, in order to manage the ongoing pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the emergency response mechanisms to COVID-19 at the King Abdulaziz University (KAU) by interviewing major stakeholders to ascertain their opinions through a cross-sectional survey. A total of 350 responses were recorded from students (64.28%), faculty members (21.42), and staff (14.28). The collected data were analyzed using statistical methods and illustrated using different schemes, graphs, and diagrams. Interestingly, the KAU emergency response plan for COVID-19 was appreciated by the respondents and it has emerged as a success story at a post-secondary educational institution in the KSA.