The Social Weather Stations (SWS) September 17-20, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey found that 80% of adult Filipinos expect a vaccine against Covid-19 to be available in the next 12 months (consisting of 27% definitely will happen and 53% probably will happen), while 17% do not expect it will happen (consisting of 12% probably will not happen and 5% definitely will not happen).
The survey also found that 80% expect the availability of medicine for the effective treatment of Covid-19 in the next 12 months (27% definitely will happen, 53% probably will happen), while 17% do not expect it will happen (11% probably will not happen, 6% definitely will not happen).
Large majorities in all areas expect a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment next year
The SWS survey showed the percentage of those who expect the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine in the next 12 months is highest in Metro Manila (82%), followed by Balance Luzon (79%), the Visayas (79%), and Mindanao (79%).
Large majorities in all areas also expect the availability of an effective treatment for Covid-19 in the next 12 months: the percentage of those with this opinion is highest in Metro Manila (85%), followed by the Visayas (82%), Mindanao (81%), and Balance Luzon (77%).
Expectations of a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment are significantly higher among the more educated groups
Eighty-one percent each among college graduates and among high school graduates, and 76% among elementary graduates, expect that there will be a Covid-19 vaccine in the next 12 months. By comparison, only 68% among non-elementary graduates expect the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine next year, SWS said.
At the same time, 82% among college graduates, and 80% each among elementary graduates and among high school graduates, expect the availability of an effective treatment for Covid-19 in the next 12 months, compared to only 70% among non-elementary graduates who expect the same.
Expectations of a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment are higher among the younger groups
The percentage of those who expect that there will be a Covid-19 vaccine in the next 12 months is significantly higher among the 18-24-year-olds (85%), among the 25-34-year-olds (85%), and among the 35-44-year-olds (81%), than among the 45-54-year-olds (76%) and among those 55 years old and above (74%).
Similarly, those who expect that there will be an effective treatment for Covid-19 next year are significantly higher among the 18-24-year-olds (89%), among the 25-34-year-olds (85%), and among the 35-44-year-olds (81%), than among the 45-54-year-olds (76%) and among those 55 years old and above (72%).
SWS: 80% of Pinoys expect COVID-19 vaccine by 2021
Large majorities among men and women expect a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment next year
The percentage of those who expect the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine next year is equally high among men and women, at 79% and 80%, respectively.
At the same time, those who expect an effective treatment for Covid-19 next year do not significantly vary among men (79%) and women (82%).
More Filipinos than Americans expect a vaccine against Covid-19 next year
The questions were patterned after the April 29-May 25, 2020 Pew Research Center survey in the United States.
The Pew Research Center survey found that 73% of Americans expect (16% definitely will happen, 57% probably will happen) that there will be a vaccine to prevent the Covid-19 in the next year, while 26% do not expect it (23% probably will not happen, 3% definitely will not happen).
The percentage of Americans (73%) who expect the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine next year is not as high as that of Filipinos (80%).
But expectation of a treatment for Covid-19 hardly varies among Americans and Filipinos
The same Pew Research Center survey also found that 83% of Americans expect (20% definitely will happen, 63% probably will happen) that there will be medicine for the effective treatment of Covid-19 next year, while 16% do not expect it (15% probably will not happen, 2% definitely will not happen, correctly rounded).
SWS survey shows that expectation of an effective treatment for Covid-19 by next year is similarly high among Americans (83%) and Filipinos (80%).