Knowledge, perception and practices adapted during COVID-19: A qualitative study in a district in Maharashtra, India

India faced a huge burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. The health system was overwhelmed in coping with this unknown new and rapidly spreading disease. The general public was scared and relied heavily on instructions from the government on preventive and treatment strategies. : To understand perceptions about COVID-19 and the practices followed by the community to prevent disease transmission. : This study is part of a larger multi-country study conducted by the World Health Organization. In this paper, we present the findings of a qualitative study that utilized in-depth interviews and focus group discussions among men and women in rural and urban areas of one of the worst affected districts in the state of Maharashtra, India. : The community had basic knowledge about COVID-19 and they followed the preventive measures as suggested by the government health department and also used traditional practices such as herbal remedies. Media, community health workers, and social media were their major sources of information. However, some of the information received by the community was non-scientific leading to myths and misconceptions. : The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging situation to both community and health system. The community was well informed about the disease, its mode of transmission, important precautions, and guidelines. People followed the instructions provided by the health workers. They also had a lot of myths and misconceptions about how the disease spreads and a few also followed traditional practices for prevention. Community health workers played a crucial role in facilitating the community’s adherence to COVID-19 protocols.