91% of Pinoys fear COVID-19 infection – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Nine in 10 Filipino adults fear that they or someone in their immediate family might catch the coronavirus disease, results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The poll, conducted from Nov. 21 to 25, found a record-high 91 percent of adult Filipinos worried about contracting the disease – consisting of 77 percent who were “worried a great deal” and 14 percent being “somewhat worried.”

The remaining three percent of 1,500 adult respondents were “worried a little” and five percent were “not worried.”

Filipinos who were worried about getting infected with the virus in November 2020 surpassed the record of 87 percent (73 percent worried a great deal, 14 percent somewhat worried) in May 2020, when SWS first did the survey.

It was also six points above the 85 percent registered in September 2020.

SWS said compared to past SWS surveys, worry about catching COVID-19 is greater than worries about catching previous viruses such as Ebola, swine flu, bird flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Worry about catching COVID-19 rose in all areas, the SWS noted.

It rose to 96 percent in the Visayas from 84 percent in September 2020, followed by Mindanao at 95 percent (from 80 percent), balance Luzon at 89 percent (from 87 percent) and Metro Manila at 85 percent (from 83 percent).

Worry about catching COVID-19 also increased among women, from 84 percent to a record-high 93 percent and among men, from 85 percent to a record-high 90 percent.

It likewise rose to record-highs in all age groups except the 18- to 24-year-olds.

It went up among the 25- to 34-year-olds, from 88 percent to 91 percent; among 35- to 44-year-olds, from 85 percent to 93 percent; among 45- to 54-year-olds, from 85 percent to 91 percent; and among those 55 years old and above, from 78 percent to 92 percent.

It hardly changed among the 18- to 24-year-olds, barely moving from 90 percent to 89 percent.

Fear about catching COVID-19 also increased across education levels.

It rose among non-elementary graduates, from 77 percent to 91 percent; among elementary graduates, from 78 percent to 91 percent; among junior high school graduates, from 88 percent to 91 percent and among college graduates, from 83 percent to 95 percent.

In past surveys, worry about catching COVID-19 used to be higher among junior high school and college graduates than among non-elementary and elementary graduates, the SWS said.

It said Filipinos have always been more worried than Americans about catching COVID-19.

The Gallup Nov. 16-29, 2020 survey found that 59 percent of adult Americans were worried – consisting of 16 percent “very worried” and 43 percent “somewhat worried” that they will be infected with the virus.

The Fourth Quarter 2020 SWS poll was based on face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.