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. 2020 Jul;28(7):898-902.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.05.005. Epub 2020 May 22.

Importance of early precautionary actions in avoiding the spread of COVID-19: Saudi Arabia as an Example

Thamir M Alshammari  1   2 , Ali F Altebainawi  2   3   4 , Khalidah A Alenzi  5
Affiliations

Importance of early precautionary actions in avoiding the spread of COVID-19: Saudi Arabia as an Example

Thamir M Alshammari et al. Saudi Pharm J. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Late in 2019, several cases of infection with a new strain of coronavirus were reported in China. This new strain was later officially named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the World Health Organization (WHO). This new virus (SARS-CoV2-) mainly affects the respiratory system and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The first case of COVID-19 was reported to the WHO on December 31st, 2019, and the virus has spread dramatically in many countries worldwide. On March 11th, 2020, the WHO declared that COVID-19 had affected most of the world, and many deaths were linked to COVID-19. Unfortunately, there is no available treatment for COVID-19, and there is no available vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Thus, preventive methods are the only way to limit the spread of the virus. Preventive actions have been taken by many countries, such as travel bans, closing borders and working from home. Saudi Arabia was one of the countries that took very early precautionary actions in the belief that these actions are the best way to fight the virus. Therefore, we present the actions that were taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to fight the new viral pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Early precautions; SARS-CoV-2; Saudi Arabia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Daily and cumulative number of confirmed and active COVID-19 cases in the period between March 2 and May 12, 2020, along with government actions.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Numbers of recovered COVID-19 cases and deaths in the period between March 2 and May 10, 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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