Don Anderson
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Don Anderson
More than a half of Jamaicans do not believe they are at high risk of getting COVID-19.
This is the finding of the latest RJRGLEANER Don Anderson poll conducted across Jamaica with 1,071 respondents.
It was done from July 23 to August 3.
The highly contagious COVID-19 has caused widespread lockdowns in many countries across the globe and grounded international flights.
Here in Jamaica, the virus has triggered nightly curfews and quarantines in communities in Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Mary.
Activities which require persons to be in close proximity to each other have been discouraged based on how easily the virus can be transmitted in droplets from people's mouths and noses.
However, despite widespread fear surrounding the virus, pollster Don Anderson said 51 per cent of respondents to the poll think they are not at high risk of catching COVID-19. He said this finding underscores "the incidence of persons who don't comply with some of the measures because they don't really believe they are at risk."
The other 49 per cent of people believe they are at risk of catching the virus.
But despite people's ambivalence about the possibility of getting COVID-19, more than 90 per cent of respondents said they have been wearing face masks and social distancing.
Mr. Anderson explained that the number may have been influenced by the fact that the poll was conducted at a time when Jamaica was seeing a surge in new cases.
Still, he noted that the finding was "generally in line with what we're seeing," pointing out that "if we look around, we see a very high level of compliance with people wearing their masks."
Effective measures
The COVID-19 preventative measure Jamaicans say they think is the most effective in preventing the spread of the respiratory illness, is the one they are finding it the hardest to comply with.
Mask wearing was identified as the most effective measure by 78.1 per cent of respondents, with social distancing second at 8.7 per cent.
Mr. Anderson said curfews were at the bottom of the list at 0.7 per cent.
However, Mr. Anderson said wearing a mask and social distancing were also at the top of the list of measures with which people found it most challenging to comply.
He revealed that 58 per cent of persons said wearing a mask was the most difficult measure to comply with, while 19 per cent found social distancing a challenge. Six per cent found the closure of schools and churches as the most difficult safety measure, another six per cent highlighted curfews and five per cent found the restrictions for public gatherings most difficult.
Meanwhile, more than 50 per cent of respondents say the practice of washing hands regularly will remain with them even after COVID-19 threat passes. Thirty-one per cent said social distancing, 20 per cent said avoiding crowded places and 13 per cent said they would continue wearing a mask. Seven per cent said they would avoid travelling overseas.
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