Table 2 Descriptive statistics for survey responses

Knowledge domain

 General knowledge

  1. Is SARS-CoV-2 a new coronavirus identified at the end of 2019, and when it infects humans, causes acute respiratory infection?

  2. Is SARS-CoV-2 a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus?

  3. Is SARS-CoV-2 a member of the subgenus Sarbecovirus (beta-CoV B lineage)?

  4. Can SARS-CoV-2 live for some time on some surfaces?

  5. Not everyone with COVID-2019 will develop serious cases. Are people who have the following characteristics more likely to have serious cases?: age over 65 years, have comorbidities, obese.

  6. Would being in contact with your pets lead to SARS-CoV-2 virus infection?

  7. Do you think SARS-CoV 2 stays in the air for 3 h?

 Diagnosis

  8. Are the most prevalent symptoms of COVID-19 fever, cough and fatigue?

  9. Is the main incubation period for COVID-19 1–30 days?

  10. Is the main transmission mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 close person-to-person contact between people infected with the virus, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic?

  11. Is the diagnosis for COVID-19 recommended by the WHO made by a rapid test?

  12. Is the diagnosis for COVID-19 recommended by the WHO made by the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of the nasopharyngeal swab?

  13. Is a suspicious case of COVID-19 defined as any patient who meets the clinical picture of acute respiratory syndrome (fever, cough, dyspnea, fatigue), and / or epidemiological criteria (being in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID 19, travel or residence in area with active infections in the last 14 days), but without confirmation by laboratory test?.

  14. Is a confirmed case of COVID-19 defined as any patient who meets the clinical picture of acute respiratory syndrome and / or epidemiological criteria confirmed by laboratory testing?

 Treatment

  15. There is currently no effective cure for COVID-2019, but does early supportive and symptomatic treatment help most patients recover from infection?

  16. Is the use of chloroquine is recommended as prophylaxis for COVID-2019?

 Prevention

  17. Should hand hygiene be performed for more than 20 s, mainly hand washing with soap?

  18. Does the personal protective equipment recommended by the WHO, for the care of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, without aerosol-generating procedures, include: hand hygiene, N95 mask, gloves, gown, and protective glasses?

  19. Was the recommendation of distance between patients and health personnel as far as possible due to the fact that the macroparticles generated by coughs or sneezes spread up to 2 m away, and therefore are potential virus transporters?

  20. Do you think that the life time of the N95 mask is 7 days?

  21. Is Isolation an effective way to reduce the spread of the virus?

 Prognosis

  22. Can patients affected by COVID-19 recover from the disease?

  23. Can people recovered from the disease still transfer or spread it?

 Total knowledge score, n (%)

   ≥ 16 correct answers = high score

  20–23 correct answers

  16–19 correct answers

  12–15 correct answers

Attitude domain

  24. Would you be willing to volunteer at a health facility during the COVID-19 outbreak?

  25. Do you think that your health facility is prepared for a COVID-19 outbreak?

  26. Do you agree that COVID-19 will be controlled in Ecuador?

  27. Do you think that you are a potential source of contagion for your family?

Practice domain

  28. Is your health facility following a protocol or guideline to control COVID-19?

  29. Do you have all the necessary safeguards and personal protective equipment for the care of COVID-19 patients delivered by your health facility?

  30. Are you having conferences or talks/trainings on COVID-19 (diagnosis, handling of samples and biosecurity) in your health facility?

  31. Since the start of the pandemic, do you do proper hand washing more often?