Gallup International Association (GIA) & Impetus Research COVID-19 Snap Poll Wave 2 Finds Rise in Global Concern About the Spread of Coronavirus

Majorities stay supportive of their governments; Indians in favour of extended Lockdown  

NEW DELHI, April 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --  India ranks highest with 91% believe Indian Government is fighting against the disease well and over 79% 'Strongly Agree' that extended Lockdown is the right step to contain the outbreak.

These are some of the conclusions from the second 'snap poll' held by the world's longest running global polling network, Gallup International Association. The survey was carried out in 18 countries around the world including Germany, India, Italy, Russia, USA, etc. The first wave was in March 2020.

Over the last few weeks, fear of catching the Coronavirus has increased in almost all of the surveyed countries. For instance, with the spread of the virus in the USA, the share of those who express their worries that they or a member of their family may actually catch the Coronavirus has increased by 25 points. 

More people are afraid now in Thailand, Switzerland, Argentina, Austria, Japan while 70% people in India fear of the infection of themselves or their families. On the contrary, population in Italy has become more accustomed to the situation, with their share of concerns about catching the virus has decreased by 9 points.

People in India and Malaysia strongly believe that their government is handling the situation well, Austria (86%), Pakistan (82%), Philippines (80% up from 70%), Germany (75% significantly up from 47%) seem to be very satisfied with the way in which their Governments are handling the crisis. 

The highest share of dissatisfaction with the authorities in regard to the COVID-19 situation is registered again in Thailand - 81% disagree that their government is doing well with the current situation. Negative sentiment has increased by 5 points within a few weeks. The second place in terms of dissatisfaction remains Japan - 69% disagree that the authorities are handling the situation well (increase by 7 points). Public opinion in USA is rather divided - 48% are satisfied with the state measures and 48% are not.

With a global spread of the virus and corresponding government measures, the survey shows that more and more people accept the threat is real. Globally, about two-thirds (63%, up from 59%) of respondents around the world do not think that the threat of the Coronavirus is exaggerated, India (71% up from 43% in March).

The increased threat has impacted willingness to sacrifice some of the human rights if this helps to prevent the spread of the infection. In March, 75% of the population surveyed were willing to sacrifice their human rights until the threat from COVID-19 has gone. This share now equals 80% globally. The highest levels of readiness are reported in Iraq and Pakistan (92%), India and Thailand (91%), but also in Austria (86%), Germany (89%), Italy (85%), Switzerland (86%).  

What comes after the crisis? When asked about what will happen to the world when the pandemic is over, 49% people in India feel that major changes can be expected with almost entirely new world. At the International level, Public opinion is yet not clear. 41% of the population in the surveyed countries (India 35%) are expecting the world to return more or less to its pre-crisis state. However, 45% globally think that there will be major change with an almost entirely new world after the Coronavirus crisis is over. 14% cannot answer.

Half of the population of the surveyed countries expect relations between the major world powers to become more cooperative. 28% express the opposite opinion (India 24%) - that relations will become more confrontational. The remaining 22% globally are unsure.

Democratic principles show signs of endurance in these difficult times. In countries including Austria, Argentina, Germany, Kazakhstan, Switzerland and India more than 90% of respondents disagree that democracy is not effective in the current crisis, re-affirming faith in the democracy. 17% globally share the opinion that democracy is not effective in the current crisis. The highest levels of approval for this provocative statement are registered in Pakistan (49%), Malaysia (43%) and Russia (32%). 

The current crisis also has a serious impact on economic life. Right now 36% globally (India 29%) claim that they have lost a serious part of their income (especially in Pakistan 84%, Indonesia 61%, Thailand 63%), 28% say that they have temporarily stopped working (mostly in India 45%, Pakistan 45%, Malaysia 51% and Philippines 55%), 15% worldwide claim to have lost their jobs Pakistan 68% reported highest loss of jobs while India reported 5%. (Pakistan, Philippines, Malaysia) and 12% say that they now work part time. 

One-third however say that the crisis has not impacted their lives so far in terms of jobs and income. The largest shares in this regard are registered in Austria, Germany and Japan.

While people around the world are reeling under the crisis, Indians are much more optimistic (75% up from 60%) with a strong believe that we are over the worst of it and things will begin to improve. 

When further explored on who do you think is responsible for the spread of this deadly virus, a majority 69% feel that a foreign power is deliberately causing the spread of Coronavirus and on the domestic front 66% believe that 'A religious community is deliberately causing the sudden spike in the spread of Coronavirus' in India.

"This panic we see, unprecedented in modern times, is a culmination of a series of mass fears on a global scale in the last two decades. The underlying reasons of that mass psychosis are founded in the essence of the consumerist societies and the way the elites are servicing them. The situation now resembles 'suicide of a civilization' so convincingly described by Arnold Toynbee. 

The way out of the horror film we live in requires a happy end - in this case a vaccine. But the major problem is that by the time the vaccine is widely available the economic devastation could be of such magnitude that a much bigger real tragedy might occur," says  Kancho Stoychev, President of Gallup International Association.

In India, Impetus-Research, the exclusive representative of Gallup International Association, conducted a survey over Phone and online mode in the past 2 weeks, amongst a randomly selected population of India with a realized sample of n=1050.

The official press release highlighting key findings from around the globe can be accessed here, while tables can be found here.

Methodology:

The second wave of the unique Global snap poll held by the world's leading Gallup International Association with exclusive India Partner - Impetus Research in the context of the COVID-19 situation. 

Wave 1 which involved more than 22,000 people in 26 countries around the world was executed in March 2020 and the second wave consisting of 17,789 participants across 18 major countries was executed in first week of April 2020. 

In India, the sample size was 1050 interviewed over Phone/Web/Emails in the 1st week of April, 2020.

In each country a representative sample of men and women was interviewed via telephone or online. 

The margin of error for the survey is between +3-5% at 95% confidence level.

About Impetus Research

Impetus Research is a New Delhi based leading social and public opinion poll, marketing research agency known for reliable data collection and MR Support Services and Data Analysis. The company is an active member of Gallup International Association and follows ESOMAR code of conduct for marketing research organizations.

For further details: www.impetus-research.com

About Gallup International

Gallup International Association (GIA) is the leading global independent association in market research and polling. 

For over 70 years Gallup International Members have demonstrated their expert ability to conduct multi-country surveys on a comparable basis and deliver the highest quality. Our more than 100 Members and partners are leading national institutes with a profound local knowledge of research methods and techniques, statistical sources, customs and culture differences of its own country and carefully selected by the Association Board. With only one Member agency per country, Members work together on a daily basis to share knowledge, new research techniques and tools, as well as to provide the most appropriate solutions to international research projects and service our clients to the best of our abilities.

For further details see website: www.gallup-international.com

Disclaimer: Gallup International Association or its members are not related to Gallup Inc., headquartered in Washington D.C. which is no longer a member of Gallup International Association. Gallup International Association does not accept responsibility for opinion polling other than its own. We require that our surveys be credited fully as Gallup International (not Gallup or Gallup Poll).

For more information:
Ankur Agarwal
[email protected]
Impetus Research, New Delhi

PDF: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1157138/Impetus_Gallup_COVID_19_Poll_Wave_2.pdf