87% of Filipinos worry about a family member possibly catching COVID-19 —SWS

Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos expressed worry that someone from their immediate family might catch COVID-19, the latest Social Weather Survey Stations poll showed.

Those not worried, on the other hand, were 13% of respondents (a combination of 7% worried a little and 7% not worried, correctly rounded).

Of those who were worried, 73% were worried a great deal and 14% were somewhat worried.

The survey was conducted from May 4 to 10 via mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

A total of 4,010 respondents aged 15 and above took part in the survey: 294 in the National Capital Region, 1,645 in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside of Metro Manila), 792 in the Visayas, and 1,279 in Mindanao.

Sampling error margins are: ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, ±2 for Balance Luzon, ±3% Visayas, and ±3% in Mindanao.

Worries over diseases over the years

The survey also showed that people are more worried about catching COVID-19 than they did over other diseases in the past.

Below is a tally of how respondents expressed worry about diseases over the years:

• COVID-19 (2020): 87%
• Ebola (2014): 82%
• Swine flu (2009): 82%
• Bird flu (2006): 83%
• Bird flu (2004): 80%
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS (2003): 78%

Worries among citizens

The SWS poll also revealed that worry about catching COVID-19 is higher among Filipinos than other nationalities, based on similar surveys:

• Filipinos: 87% (SWS)
• Britons: 78% (Roy Morgan Research online survey, March 18-20, 2020 and March 28-29, 2020)
• Australians: 75% (Roy Morgan Research online survey, March 18-20, 2020 and March 28-29, 2020)
• Americans: 79% (ABC News/Ipsos Poll on May 13-14, 2020)

Awareness of symptoms

Regarding symptoms, 94% of Filipinos are aware of COVID-19 symptoms such as fever (87%) and cough (86%).

The other symptoms mentioned by respondents are colds (50%), difficulty breathing (46%), throat pain (33%), body pain (20%), headache (15%), diarrhea (11%), and constant fatigue (2%).

Other unspecified symptoms were mentioned by 10% of the respondents.

In areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), 96% were aware of COVID-19 symptoms; in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), this was at 92%.

More people were aware of COVID-19 symptoms in Metro Manila (98%).

Visayas came next at 96%, followed by Balance Luzon at 94%, then Mindanao at 90%.

Worries higher in NCR and Visayas

Meanwhile, worries about catching COVID-19 registered higher in the National Capital Region at 93%.

In Visayas, worries about catching COVID-19 scored 91%; in Mindanao, 85%; and in Balance Luzon, 84%.

In areas under ECQ, worries about catching COVID-19 was at 88%, and 86% in areas under GCQ. —KG, GMA News