Nine in 10 Pinoys scared of getting COVID-19 – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the easing of quarantine measures in most areas in the country, nearly nine in 10 adult Filipinos still fear that they or a member of their family might contract COVID-19, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest survey.

The poll, taken from Sept. 17 to 20, found 85 percent of Filipinos, aged 18 and above, who were worried that someone in their immediate family might catch COVID-19, against nine percent who were “worried a little” and six percent who were not worried.

This was similar to its July 2020 poll when 85 percent were worried, eight percent were worried a little and seven percent were not worried about catching the virus.

The SWS September 2020 survey was conducted when most areas of the country were already under the most lenient modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

Worry about catching COVID-19 was now highest in balance Luzon at 87 percent (unchanged from July); followed by the Visayas at 84 percent (from 85 percent); Metro Manila at 83 percent (from 92 percent) and Mindanao at 80 percent (from 77 percent).

Worry about catching COVID-19 remained high among men and women and all age groups, the SWS said.

Compared to July 2020, worry about contracting the disease fell slightly among women from 87 percent to 84 percent, but rose slightly among men from 83 percent to 85 percent.

By age group, it increased slightly among the 18- to 24-year-olds from 88 percent to 90 percent, among the 25- to 34-year-olds from 85 percent to 88 percent,- and among the 45- to 54-year-olds from 83 percent to 85 percent.

It fell slightly among the 35- to 44-year-olds from 88 percent to 85 percent and those 55 years old and above from 81 percent to 78 percent.

The survey used mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 1,249 adult Filipinos nationwide.

Compared to past SWS surveys, worry about catching COVID-19 was greater than worries about catching previous viruses such as Ebola, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the SWS noted.

It said fear of catching COVID-19 was still greater among Filipinos than Americans.

The SWS cited the ABC News/Ipsos June 24-25, 2020 survey, which found that 77 percent of Americans were worried that they or someone in their family would be exposed to the virus.