SWS: Worry of catching COVID-19 rises to record-high 91%

The national Social Weather Survey of September 12–16, 2021 found 91% of adult Filipinos worried (76% a great deal worried, 15% somewhat worried) and 9% a little/not worried (4% a little worried, 5% not worried) that anyone in their immediate family might catch Covid-19.

The latest percentage of those worried about catching Covid-19 is 4 points above the 87% (correctly rounded) in June 2021 and ties the record-high level reached in November 2020.

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Compared to past SWS surveys, worry about catching Covid-19 is much greater than worries about catching previous viruses such as Ebola, Swine Flu, Bird Flu, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Outlook on the Covid-19 crisis worsens

The September 2021 survey also found those fearing “the worst is yet to come” with the Covid-19 crisis rising from 39% in June 2021 to a record-high 60% in September 2021. This surpassed the previous worst of 57% in July 2020.

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Conversely, those saying “the worst is behind us” fell from 59% in June 2021 to 38% in September 2021. This is the lowest since the record-low 35% in July 2020.

Outlook on the Covid-19 worsens both among those worried and those not worried about catching Covid-19

From June 2021 to September 2021, the outlook on the Covid-19 crisis worsened both among those worried and those not worried about catching Covid-19.

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The percentage of those fearing “the worst is yet to come” rose from 41% in June 2021 to 62% in September 2021 among those a great deal/somewhat worried about catching the virus.

It also rose from 27% to 44% among those a little/not worried about catching Covid-19.

The percentage of those fearing “the worst is yet to come” with the Covid-19 crisis is always higher among those worried about catching Covid-19 than those not worried.

Worry about catching Covid-19 rises in all areas

The percentage of those a great deal/somewhat worried about catching Covid-19 is highest in the Visayas (95%), followed by Mindanao (94%), Metro Manila (91%), and Balance Luzon (88%).

Compared to June 2021, worry about catching Covid-19 rose from 90% in the Visayas, 90% in Mindanao, 85% in Metro Manila, and 85% in Balance Luzon.

Worry about catching Covid-19 rises across education, especially among college graduates

Compared to June 2021, worry about catching Covid-19 rose in all educational levels.

It rose from 79% to 95% among college graduates. This ties the record-high level reached in November 2020 for this group.

It rose from 88% to 90% among junior high school graduates.

It rose from 89% to 91% among elementary graduates.

It also rose from 85% to 87% among non-elementary graduates.

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