Fewer Filipinos now believe worst of COVID-19 is over — SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Fewer adult Filipinos now believe that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, according to a Social Weather Stations survey conducted from April 28 to May 2, a report on which was released on Thursday.

From the 69 percent reported last February, the figure dropped to 50 percent.

Also, the number of those who believe that the worst is yet to come in this pandemic has increased — from just 31 percent in November 2020 to 49 percent in May 2021 — just eight percentage points shy of the 57 percent recorded in July 2020.

According to the SWS report, 89 percent of those surveyed are still worried about catching the disease, while 11 percent are either worried a little or not worried at all.

This is just two percentage points below the record-high 91 percent tallied in November 2020.

It also remains high in all locales surveyed — Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“The percentage of those a great deal/somewhat worried about catching Covid-19 stays highest in the Visayas (92%), followed by Mindanao (90%), Balance Luzon (88%), and Metro Manila (85%),” SWS noted.

“Compared to November 2020, worry about catching Covid-19 stayed at 85% in Metro Manila, while it barely moved from 89% in Balance Luzon.  It fell slightly from 96% in the Visayas and 95% in Mindanao,” it added.

Still, the outlook towards the pandemic did not vary much between those who are worried about contracting COVID-19 and those who are not.

According to SWS, more individuals who are worried about the disease believe that the “worst is yet to come,” jumping from 31 percent in November 2020 to 50 percent in May.

Among those who are not worried about getting sick, it rose from 22 percent to 39 percent.

The feeling that the “worst is yet to come” also rose across the country, while sentiments that the “worst is behind us” dropped.

“Compared to November 2020, those fearing ‘the worst is yet to come’ rose by 28 points in Metro Manila (from 22%), by 23 points in Balance Luzon (from 31%), by 17 points in the Visayas (from 32%), and by 3 points in Mindanao (from 35%),” SWS said.

“Compared to November 2020, however, those saying “the worst is behind us” fell by 29 points in Metro Manila (from 78%), by 24 points in Balance Luzon (from 69%), by 16 points in the Visayas (from 67%), and by 3 points in Mindanao (from 65%),” it added.

During the survey period of SWS, Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal suffered a surge in COVID-19 cases that forced the government to place the bubble under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

During the ECQ, COVID-19 cases reached unprecedented numbers in the country, with active infections ballooning to over 200,000 at one point and the daily increase in new cases breaching the 10,000 mark several times.

Contrary to the previous survey in February, most Filipinos have gained an optimistic outlook due to the fact that the country did not see any surge in cases despite the holidays, which saw a lot of families doing reunions despite constant reminders against gathering.

The SWS said that the surveys were conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, distributed by 300 each per locale.

The polling firm maintains sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages and ±6% for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

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