AFTER being subjected to nearly seven months of community quarantine, 9 percent more of Metro Manila residents worry less about catching the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but more residents from Luzon and the Visayas fear catching the deadly virus.
The September 17-20 mobile survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that 83 percent of Metro residents, down from 92 percent, have less fear of contracting the virus. SWS, however, said the latest percentage change is still high.
The survey, which involved 1,249 adult respondents nationwide with a margin of error of ±3 percent, showed that 87 percent of respondents from Luzon fear being infected with COVID-19 (up from 85 percent), followed by those from the Visayas with 84 percent (down from 85 percent), from Metro Manila with 83 percent, and Mindanao with 80 percent (up from 77 percent).
SWS said the overall percentage of people worried about catching COVID-19 remained unchanged from July at 85 percent — composed of 63 percent who are “worried a great deal” and 22 percent who are “somewhat worried” — while 9 percent said they are worried a little, and 6 percent said they are not worried at all that they or a member of their immediate family would be infected.
President Duterte on Monday night placed Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City, in Mindanao under the modified enhanced community quarantine from October 1 to 31 while Metro Manila will remain under general community quarantine during the same period.
Also under GCQ are Batangas for Luzon; Iloilo City, Tacloban City and Bacolod City for the Visayas; and Iligan City for Mindanao while the rest of the country are under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
SWS said worry about catching COVID-19 was higher among men with 85 percent (up from 83 percent) than among women with 84 percent (down from 87 percent).
By age group, worry was highest among the 18 to 24 year old group with 90 percent (down from 88 percent); followed by those among the 25 to 34 with 88 percent (down from 85 percent); among the 45 to 54 with 85 percent (up from 83 percent); among the 35-44 with 85 percent (down from 88 percent), and those 55 years old and above with 78 percent (from 81 percent).
SWS said worry about catching COVID-19 was also higher among junior high school (88 percent up from 86 percent) and college graduates (83 percent down from 89 percent), than among the elementary (78 percent down from 80) and non-elementary graduates (77 percent down from 79 percent).
