Perception and Knowledge of Adults Toward the Newly Evoked Variant Omicron: A Web-based National Survey from Jordan

Omicron B.1.1.529 possesses the highest number of mutations among all SARSCoV-2 variants. The Omicron variant spread quickly and became globally dominant; the currently available COVID-19 vaccines provided less immunity to the Omicron variant.

This study aimed to explore Jordanians' knowledge and perceptions about the omicron variant and the role of vaccines in protection.

The questionnaire was created using Google Forms and was distributed online via different social media platforms. Participants were recruited through a convenient sampling method and snowball distribution of the questionnaire. Inclusion criteria: being an adult and living in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

A total of 708 participants responded and filled out the questionnaire with an average age of 39.87 ± 11.09. Less than half of the participants were infected with the coronavirus. Most of the participants were infected only once (238, 78.8%) and mostly with the original strain of the coronavirus. Almost all the participants were vaccinated (661, 93.4%); the majority received two doses (504, 76.3%), followed by three doses (142, 21.5%), and only fifteen participants (2.4%) received one dose of vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech was the most frequently used type of vaccine. In the multivariate analysis, predictors of a higher knowledge score were education levels (only in postgraduate degree compared to high school or lower education), monthly income higher than 400, presence of comorbidities, and vaccination.

As the Omicron variant spreads rapidly, educational programs and interventions are needed to improve public knowledge and perceptions, especially for those with low educational levels and monthly income.