International surveys show more people in the UK are worried about Covid-19 than in other populations, according to a new analyis.
The surveys covered 6,991 participants and were analysed by Dr Sander van der Linden and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, UK.
Between mid-March and mid-April this year, they gathered opinions on Covid-19 from ten countries across Europe, America and Asia, with varying approaches to tackling the pandemic. Participants were asked to rate how prevalent, life-threatening, and worrying they thought the virus was.
Results appeared in the Journal of Risk Research yesterday (5 May).
The UK showed greatest public concern, followed by Spain and the US. People in Italy were among the least concerned, followed only by Mexico and South Korea. Greater concern about the virus was linked to taking preventative public health measures such as increased hand washing or wearing facemasks.
In each country, those who suspected they had already had the virus perceived a higher risk from it, as did those who got their information on the virus from friends or family.
Dr van der Linden said: "Without pharmaceutical treatment, we are relying on people changing their behaviour to put the brakes on this pandemic. The willingness to adopt protective behaviours such as frequent hand-washing or physical distancing is likely to be influenced, in part, by how risky people perceive the virus to be."
"We think this is the first comparative evidence of how people perceive the risk of Covid-19 around the world."
Co-author Dr Claudia Schneider added: "Appealing to prosocial motives can be an important part of solving social dilemmas during pandemics. For example, ‘clap for our carers’ campaigns help us to publicly signal prosocial intentions through shared sentiment and the spread of positive emotions."
A second analysis, published yesterday by researchers at University College London, highlights the circumstances which increase the risk of transmission of respiratory infections.
The researchers named public transport, partying, shopping, dining out and places of worship as those that create greatest risk. The findings come from an analysis of flu data.
Researcher Professor Andrew Hayward said: “This research clearly shows that respiratory infections such as COVID-19 can spread easily in a wide range of public spaces including on public transport, in shops and restaurants and at places of worship and parties.
“As we start to come out of lockdown, these findings support continuing intensive social distancing and isolation measures to reduce community transmission of COVID-19. It is particularly important that those with symptoms stay at home and that people continue to avoid crowded public spaces as lockdown is lifted."
Dryhurst, S. et al. Risk perceptions of COVID-19 around the world. Journal of Risk Research 5 May 2020
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2020.1758193
Wellcome Open Res 5 May 2020
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