Too strict or too lax? Governments’ COVID-19 countermeasures split opinions
Since the start of the new round of Life With Corona-survey in October, many countries have been facing a second wave of the pandemic. In addition to sharply increasing case numbers, this has also meant newly implemented containment measures.
NEW REPORT: Life with Corona: Shared Global Sentiments and Stark Generational Divides
Six findings from six months of Life with Corona, a global research project to collect real-time data on the social and economic impacts of COVID-19.
What is the effect of working from home and supermarket shortages on our quality of life?
This week, we look at how people have been affected by pandemic-enforced changes to day-to-day life. Particularly, we are interested in those who have been forced to work from home and in those who have experienced difficulties finding standard goods in the supermarket. Although neither of these is a direct consequence of the health components of the pandemic, they capture the idea that the pandemic also has more mundane impacts on people’s lives.
Is COVID-19 turning us into gardeners?
Given the well-documented shortages in supermarkets and other stores, this week we will look at whether people are interested in using their outside space (should they be lucky enough to have it) to grow their own foodstuffs.
Those who trust others cope better with the crisis
Trust in others is an important aspect of how people feel and interact with others, especially during crises.
Do women and men experience the coronavirus crisis differently?
This week, we wanted to understand if women and men globally were experiencing the coronavirus crisis in the same way, and to see which parts of it they might be experiencing differently.
• While trust in other people has dramatically declined in Spain, it has gone up in some countries including Portugal and the UK
• Trust in government on a decline everywhere – most of all in the USA
• There has been a noticeable drop in life satisfaction over the last three months in almost all countries analysed
• Most visible decline in overall happiness has been observed in Portugal and Spain
• Under 25s are willing to give up third of their income to stop coronavirus
• Willingness to give up income to stop the virus has increased slightly over time in all age groups
• Putting extra effort into keeping in touch with loved ones is on a decline
• Almost two-thirds report feeling stressed in the US, compared to half in the UK and Germany.
• More than one in three say they feel stressed when leaving their house.
- Support for COVID-19 related measures placed by the government is falling.
- Nearly half of US respondents think they should have priority access to a coronavirus vaccine if it is developed in their country.
- Social distancing is the greatest impact of coronavirus crisis for the Europeans and Americans, whereas Africans and Asians worry more about getting sick.
The proportion of people wearing face masks is on the rise in Germany.
Even before the wearing of masks was made compulsory in enclosed spaces in Germany, their use was increasing.
Does exposure to the virus change what we think about people and organizations?
Those who had contact with someone who might have the virus have worse perceptions of the medical sector, their neighbors, and the media than the wider population.
Does exposure to the virus influence behaviors around the disease?
Those who might have been exposed to the disease are more likely to use more measures to stop the spread of the disease.
Where should a vaccine be made available first?
Those exposed to the virus are more likely to support priority access to a vaccine in their own country.
Stockpiling in Germany is on a downward trend
Nearly two in five respondents admitted stockpiling at the start of the survey. That had fallen by more than half by last weekend. Does this, truly, capture a downward trend? Or were supermarket closures because of public holidays at work in the data? Tell us your experiences by answering the survey!
Older people are more likely to stockpile than younger people.
Stockpiled vs unavailable products
People are not stockpiling the goods that are most commonly unavailable.
Top five items that were unavailable
The majority of respondents struggled to find toilet paper.
Who stockpiles more – Americans, Britons or Germans?