68pc back nationwide lockdown: survey

ISLAMABAD: Three in 4 Pakistanis (75%) opine that the COVID-19 crisis poses a high threat to them personally. Women and respondents below 30 years of age percieve the infection as higher threat, according to Coronavirus Attitude Tracker Survey Pakistan based on 650 phone interviews by Gallup Pakistan. Since March, 5 percent rise has been witnessed in the proportion of Pakistanis who are afraid of the virus infecting them or a loved one. Females (77%) and respondents below 30 years of age (71%) are the most afraid, says the survey.

The survey found that 3 in 4 Pakistanis are hopeful that things will get back to normal by June. Respondents from Sindh (82%) are the most optimistic. It says 69% of Pakistanis say that people around them are taking the COVID-19 threat seriously. Respondents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are taking it most seriously (86%).

Since the previous wave, 15% decline in the percentage of Pakistanis who believe that the threat of coronavirus is exaggerated – indicating that more people are now aware of the severity of the outbreak. 1 in 2 Pakistanis (52%) say that a male member of their household went for Jummah prayers last week. 86% of respondents in KP claimed the same. 1 in 2 Pakistanis (52%) say that a male member of their household went for Jummah prayers last week.

The survey says that since March, 17% rise has been witnessed in the proportion of Pakistanis who opine that the federal government of Pakistan is controlling the coronavirus situation very well. 18% continue to disagree.

Over 3 in 4 Pakistanis (78%) are satisfied with how the provincial governments are controlling the coronavirus situation. Respondents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are the most satisfied (90%).

Most Pakistanis (61%) trust television on coronavirus information. 18% more males than females consider social media as a trusted source of information. Respondents over 50+ are more likely to trust newspapers. 68% of Pakistanis highly support the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, while 1 in 4 (23%) do not support it at all. a greater proportion of females (34%) do not support the lockdown either.

Four in 5 Pakistanis say that the coronavirus poses a threat to their job or business, with 69% believing it poses a very high threat. Four in 5 Pakistanis claim to know someone who has lost their job during the lockdown in response to COVID-19 outbreak.

Majority Pakistanis (61%) say that their household’s financial situation is worse than what it was 6 months ago. Near equal split in public opinion over household financial situation after six months: 40% say it will be bad while 41% say it will be good.

The alarming rate of the spread and severity of COVID-19 outbreak has raised deep concerns over the world. 1,274,923 people have been infected globally;more than 69,000 have died and 260,484 have recovered so far. As thenumber of infected countries and persons, and the death toll rises, there is growing panic among nations across the globe. The government of Pakistan has urged citizens to self-quarantine and keep physical interaction to a minimum as the number of cases continues to soar everyday. Partial lockdowns are imposed in various provinces to slow down the rate of spread, and ‘flatten the curve’.