Perceptions of postoutbreak management by management and healthcare workers of a Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in a tertiary care hospital: a qualitative study

Al Knawy, Bandar Abdulmohsen; Al-Kadri, Hanan M F; Elbarbary, Mahmoud; Arabi, Yaseen; Balkhy, Hanan H; Clark, Alex

All participants referred to consistent and pervasive "negative media commentary" on the MERS-CoV outbreak occurring at the KAMC-R. This negative coverage contributed to significantly negative public perceptions of the Ministry, KAMC-R, its senior decision-makers, and the frontline HCWs. These negative commentaries were evident across local mass media (television, radio, and newspapers) and social media -particularly Twitter. The negative media reporting was cited as negatively impacting staff morale and affecting workers socially, psychologically, and mentally. During this challenging period, this compounded the negative Staff capacity to handle this challenging situation was further reduced given the perceived wide prevalence of high anxiety in staff due to the "lack of appropriate staff counseling and mental health support". The psychological demands on frontline health professionals escalated due to a range of coalescing factors; most notably the need to manage the outbreak simultaneously with the closure of most of the institution's units, combined with the negative media commentary. Almost all frontline participants strongly and repeatedly expressed the need for counseling and mental health support of employees.