Essential Report
Changing behaviour due to Covid-19
Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?
13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 76% | 78% | 79% | 72% |
Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 76% | 82% | 75% | 60% |
Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 75% | 78% | 73% | 60% |
Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 37% | 38% | 41% | 33% |
Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 52% | 50% | 43% | 23% |
Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 32% | 33% | 33% | 20% |
None of these | 5% | 3% | 5% | 12% |
Base (n) | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
Changing behaviour due to Covid-19
Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?
06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 78% | 79% | 72% |
Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 82% | 75% | 60% |
Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 78% | 73% | 60% |
Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 38% | 41% | 33% |
Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 50% | 43% | 23% |
Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 33% | 20% |
None of these | 3% | 5% | 12% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 78% | 73% | 83% | 68% | 78% | 83% | 80% | 74% | |
Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 82% | 77% | 87% | 70% | 81% | 89% | 81% | 83% | |
Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 78% | 75% | 82% | 63% | 77% | 87% | 79% | 78% | |
Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 38% | 32% | 44% | 41% | 41% | 35% | 40% | 33% | |
Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 50% | 47% | 54% | 50% | 52% | 50% | 51% | 48% | |
Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 32% | 33% | 46% | 48% | 17% | 38% | 23% | |
None of these | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 5% | |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 523 | 546 | 341 | 342 | 386 | 731 | 338 | |
Changing behaviour due to Covid-19
Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?
29/03 | 22/03 | |
Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 79% | 72% |
Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 75% | 60% |
Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 73% | 60% |
Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 41% | 33% |
Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 43% | 23% |
Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 20% |
None of these | 5% | 12% |
Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
- Now 95% of participants claim that their behaviour has changed since the Covid-19 outbreak (up from 88% last week).
- All the measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus have increased observation compared to last week.
Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 79% | 74% | 84% | 72% | 80% | 85% | 79% | 80% | |
Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 75% | 68% | 83% | 66% | 77% | 82% | 75% | 76% | |
Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 73% | 69% | 78% | 60% | 73% | 85% | 73% | 74% | |
Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 41% | 39% | 43% | 43% | 43% | 38% | 44% | 36% | |
Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 43% | 40% | 47% | 44% | 44% | 42% | 44% | 42% | |
Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 33% | 32% | 47% | 36% | 17% | 37% | 24% | |
None of these | 5% | 7% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% | |
Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- Women and participants over 55 years olds are more likely to have changed their behaviour since the Covid-19 outbreak, than men and 18-34 year olds.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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