Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

Purpose: This study investigated participants reported COVID–19 knowledge and prevalence of symptoms of covid – 19 among students in Niger Delta University in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Method: A random simple sampling techniques was employed with 376 questionnaires were distributed among the students.

Results: A total of 350 questionnaires were retrieved from the participants (n = 1376) cutting across all the students. Participants reported that they had adequate knowledge of COVID-19 signs and symptoms. The male participants were more. Those with age range of 18 – 25 years were most common. Participants most reported signs and symptoms of COVID–19 during the peak, last one month and in the last week were loss of taste, loss of appetite, and loss of smell. The majority of the participants reported adequate knowledge of COVID-19, origin as China, and causative agent as a virus with incubation period from 3 -14 days, often treated with antibiotics. Participants revealed that cancer patients were most affected were 50 years and above. Also, participants had adequate knowledge of COVID–19 as contagious, worst in patients with weak immune system. Participants reported that they had adequate knowledge of covid -19 signs and symptoms. Most reported were symptoms of fever, cough, and sore throat among the participants.

Discussion: The majority of the participants reported adequate knowledge of COVID–19, means of transmission of COVID-19, side effect with COVID–19. Also, the study clearly identify adequate knowledge means of COVI D - 19 transmission sign and symptom. There was a statistically significant difference (p>0.005) on knowledge of COVID – 19 among the student’s population.