1. Home
  2. Vol 6 (2022)
  3. Amuda

Qualitative Exploration of Legal, Economic and Health Impacts of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia

Yusuff Jelili Amuda, Emna Chikhaoui, Shafiqul Hassan, Mohsin Dhali

Abstract


Since the outbreak of COVID-19, several researches have been conducted in different parts of the world, including Saudi Arabia. However, there is little focus of attention on qualitative exploration of the impacts of COVID-19 in the context of Saudi Arabia. The primary objective of this study was to explore the opinions of legal, economic, and medical experts pertaining to the impacts of COVID-19. The methodology employed in this paper was a qualitative research design. The data was collected with a specific focus on the use of an in-depth interview. Fifteen (15) participants among the legal, economic, and medical experts were finally used for the interview among the targeted participants. In order to analyze the data, different themes were generated from the transcribed interviews, which were: Overview of COVID-19, legal, economic, health impacts. The finding of the study revealed that the current pandemic of Covid-19 has multidimensional impacts in Saudi Arabia. The pandemic has negative impact not only on the social and economic areas but also on the legal sphere. Social and economic impacts of the Covid-19 increase the inequality, discrimination, unemployment, deprivation of usual education, and disruption in business activities. The findings further indicated that the legal impact of COVID-19 has been mentioned in the aspect of the inability to perform contracts that have the potential to trigger default or force majeure provisions leading to litigation or reconciliation. In addition, the participants also acknowledged the health impact of COVID-19 in causing anxiety, suffering from illness, loneliness, depression, and causing death, among others. If not properly addressed through effective measures and policy, the impact of the COVID-19 on the legal, economic, and health spheres would have severe consequences. Therefore, it is recommended that all the stakeholders, especially the government of Saudi Arabia should effectively and efficiently address the legal, economic, and health impacts of COVID-19.

 

Doi: 10.28991/esj-2022-SPER-01

Full Text: PDF


Keywords


COVID-19; Legal, Economic and Health Impacts; Force Majeure; Saudi Arabia.

References


Li, Q., Guan, X., Wu, P., Wang, X., Zhou, L., Tong, Y., Ren, R., Leung, K. S. M., Lau, E. H. Y., Wong, J. Y., Xing, X., Xiang, N., Wu, Y., Li, C., Chen, Q., Li, D., Liu, T., Zhao, J., Liu, M., … Feng, Z. (2020). Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(13), 1199–1207. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2001316.

Zhu, N., Zhang, D., Wang, W., Li, X., Yang, B., Song, J., Zhao, X., Huang, B., Shi, W., Lu, R., Niu, P., Zhan, F., Ma, X., Wang, D., Xu, W., Wu, G., Gao, G. F., & Tan, W. (2020). A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(8), 727–733. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2001017.

Benkouiten, S., Al-Tawfiq, J. A., Memish, Z. A., Albarrak, A., & Gautret, P. (2019). Clinical respiratory infections and pneumonia during the Hajj pilgrimage: A systematic review. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 28, 15–26. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2018.12.002.

Chan, J. F. W., Kok, K. H., Zhu, Z., Chu, H., To, K. K. W., Yuan, S., & Yuen, K. Y. (2020). Genomic characterization of the 2019 novel human-pathogenic coronavirus isolated from a patient with atypical pneumonia after visiting Wuhan. Emerging Microbes and Infections, 9(1), 221–236. doi:10.1080/22221751.2020.1719902.

Nishiura, H., Jung, S. M., Linton, N. M., Kinoshita, R., Yang, Y., Hayashi, K., Kobayashi, T., Yuan, B., & Akhmetzhanov, A. R. (2020). The extent of transmission of novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, 2020. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(2), 330. doi:10.3390/jcm9020330.

Ebrahim, S. H., & Memish, Z. A. (2020). COVID-19: preparing for superspreader potential among Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The Lancet, 395(10227), e48. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30466-9.

Ameen, F., Amna, T., Alghamdi, A. A. A., AlKahtani, M. D. F., & AlYahya, S. A. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic outburst in Saudi Arabia: A glimpse. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 27(12), 3547–3552. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.07.026.

Shittu, R. (2019). Economic impact of overweight on the labour market. Stears Bus, 1–5. doi:10.1787/c6d0a63e-en.

Ebrahim, S. H., & Memish, Z. A. (2020). COVID-19 – the role of mass gatherings. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 34, 101617. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101617.

Ahmad, A.-B. H., Ghadas, Z. A. A., Asuhaimi, F. A., & Udin, N. M. (2018). The Principle of Force Majeure in Shariah: A Special Reference to Saudi Contract. Turkish Online Journal of Design Art and Communication, 8(SEPT), 1097–1106. doi:10.7456/1080sse/150.

Harris, Dan. “Coronavirus Legal Issues Around the World, Part 1: Employment Law Issues.” Harris Bricken. Harris Bricken, 2020. Available online: https://harrisbricken.com/chinalawblog/coronavirus-legal-issues-around-the-world-part-1-employment-law-issues/ (accessed on October 2021).

Khalid, Tuqa. “Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia Sets Guidelines for Malls, Industrial Sector, as It Reopens.” Al Arabiya, 2020. Available online: https://english.alarabiya.net/coronavirus/2020/05/29/Coronavirus-Saudi-Arabia-sets-guidelines-for-malls-industrial-sector-as-it-reopens (accessed on June 2021).

Salameh, Emad, Abubaker Jeeballah, and Mohammed AlOthman. “COVID-19: Force Majeure Under Saudi Law & Shari’ah |.” Al Tamimi & Company. Al Tamimi & Company, 2020. Available online: https://www.tamimi.com/law-update-articles/covid-19-force-majeure-under-saudi-law-and-shariah/ (accessed on October 2021).

World Health Organization. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic,” Available online: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 (accessed on June 2021).

Khatatbeh, M. (2020). Efficacy of Nationwide Curfew to Encounter Spread of COVID-19: A Case From Jordan. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 394. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00394.

ilton, Tommy. “Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia Now Has over 100,000 COVID-19 Cases.” Al Arabiya English. Al Arabiya English, 2020. Available online: https://english.alarabiya.net/coronavirus/2020/06/07/Coronavirus-Saudi-Arabia-now-has-more-than-100-000-COVID-19-cases- (accessed on June 2021).

Ebrahim, S. H., Ahmed, Q. A., Gozzer, E., Schlagenhauf, P., & Memish, Z. A. (2020). Covid-19 and community mitigation strategies in a pandemic. The BMJ, 368. doi:10.1136/bmj.m1066.

World Health Organization. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 Situation Report – 187.” A & A Practice 14, no. 6 (2020): e01218–e01218. Available online: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200407-sitrep-78-covid-19.pdf (accessed on June 2021).

Alshammari, T. M., Alenzi, K. A., Alnofal, F. A., Fradees, G., & Altebainawi, A. F. (2021). Are countries’ precautionary actions against COVID-19 effective? An assessment study of 175 countries worldwide. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 29(5), 391–409. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2021.03.011.

Alsaif, B., Elhassan, N. E. E., Itumalla, R., Ali, K. E., & Alzain, M. A. (2021). Assessing the level of awareness of covid‐19 and prevalence of general anxiety disorder among the hail community, kingdom of saudi arabia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13). doi:10.3390/ijerph18137035.

“Saudi Locks down Qatif as Coronavirus Surges in the Gulf.” Al Jazeera News, 2020. Available online: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/saudi-locks-qatif-coronavirus-surges-gulf-200308142809697.html (accessed on June 2021).

Alshehri, Y. A., Mordhah, N., Alsibiani, S., Alsobhi, S., & Alnazzawi, N. (2020). How the Regular Teaching Converted to Fully Online Teaching in Saudi Arabia during the Coronavirus COVID-19. Creative Education, 11(07), 985–996. doi:10.4236/ce.2020.117071.

Abolfotouh, M. A., Almutairi, A. F., Banimustafa, A. A., & Hussein, M. A. (2020). Perception and attitude of healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia with regard to Covid-19 pandemic and potential associated predictors. BMC Infectious Diseases, 20(1), 1–10. doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05443-3.

Sami, Omar. “A Few Legal Insights: Manager Liabilities in Saudi Arabia during Covid-19.” Rödl & Partner. Rödl & Partner, 2020. Available online: https://www.roedl.com/insights/saudi-arabia-legal-insights-manager-liabilities-covid-19 (accessed on October 2021).

Urquhart, Quinn Emanuel, and Sullivan. “COVID-19 and Legal Issues in Saudi Arabia.” International Comparative Legal Guide. International Comparative Legal Guide, 2020. Available online: https://iclg.com/briefing/12349-covid-19-and-legal-issues-in-saudi-arabia (accessed on October 2021).

“Saudi Arabia Suspending Domestic Flights, Mass Land Transport in Fight against COVID-19.” Arab News, 2020. Available online: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1644101/saudi-arabia (accessed on June 2021).

Amlôt, Matthew. “Jobs, Health Priority in Coronavirus Spending Cuts, VAT Hike: Saudi Finance Minister.” Al Arabiya English. Al Arabiya English, 2020. Available online: https://english.alarabiya.net/coronavirus/2020/05/11/Jobs-health-priority-in-coronavirus-spending-cuts-VAT-hike-Saudi-Finance-Minister (accessed on June 2021).

Sallam, M., Dababseh, D., Yaseen, A., Al-Haidar, A., Ababneh, N. A., Bakri, F. G., & Mahafzah, A. (2020). Conspiracy beliefs are associated with lower knowledge and higher anxiety levels regarding covid-19 among students at the university of Jordan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 1–15. doi:10.3390/ijerph17144915.

Alhamlan, F. S., Majumder, M. S., Brownstein, J. S., Hawkins, J., Al-Abdely, H. M., Alzahrani, A., Obaid, D. A., Al-Ahdal, M. N., & BinSaeed, A. (2017). Case characteristics among Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak and non-outbreak cases in Saudi Arabia from 2012 to 2015. BMJ Open, 7(1). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011865.

Albogami, Y., Alkofide, H., & Alrwisan, A. (2021). Covid-19 Vaccine Surveillance in Saudi Arabia: Opportunities for Real-time Assessment. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 29(8), 914–916. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2021.07.005.

Obeid, D. A., Alhamlan, F. S., Al-Qahtani, A. A., & Al-Ahdal, M. N. (2020). Containment of COVID-19: The unprecedented response of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 14(7), 699–706. doi:10.3855/jidc.13203.

Alshammari, T. M., Altebainawi, A. F., & Alenzi, K. A. (2020). Importance of early precautionary actions in avoiding the spread of COVID-19: Saudi Arabia as an Example. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 28(7), 898–902. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2020.05.005.

Binsaleh, N. K., Bazaid, A. S., Aldarhami, A., Sherwani, S., & Althomali, O. W. (2021). Awareness and practice of covid-19 precautionary measures among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14, 1553–1560. doi:10.2147/JMDH.S317908.


Full Text: PDF

DOI: 10.28991/esj-2022-SPER-01

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2021 Dr. Yusuff Jelili Amuda, Dr. Emna Chikhaoui, Dr. Shafiqul Hassan, Mohsin Dhali