85% of Filipinos worried family members will be infected with COVID-19

September 29, 2020

Eighty five percent of Filipinos are worried that anyone from their family will be infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey said on Monday.

Based on their latest data, SWS found that 85 percent of adult Filipinos are worried, nine percent are a little worried, and six percent are not worried that anyone in their immediate family might catch COVID-19.

“This is similar to July 2020 (survey),” SWS said.

“Compared to past SWS surveys, worry about catching COVID-19 is greater than worries about catching previous viruses such as ebola, swine flu, bird flu, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),” it added.

SWS said Filipinos residing in Balance Luzon are more worried of catching the virus at 87 percent. Other responses were 84 percent in Visayas, 83 percent in Metro Manila and 80 percent in Mindanao.

It said those who are worried about catching the virus in Metro Manila declined from 92 percent in both May and July, to 83 percent in September.

Compared to their July survey, worries about catching COVID-19 fell slightly among women, down from 87 percent to 84 percent. However, it rose slightly among men from 83 percent to 85 percent.

By age group, it rose slightly among the 18-24-year-olds, from 88 percent to 90 percent, among the 25-34-year-olds, from 85 percent to 88 percent, and among the 45-54-year-olds, from 83 percent to 85 percent.

The latest SWS survey was conducted last September 17-20 using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) of 1,249 adult Filipinos nationwide. Ella Dionisio/DMS