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Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of the Coronavirus in Australia?
| 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | 10/02 | |
| Very concerned | 53% | 39% | 27% | 25% |
| Quite concerned | 35% | 43% | 36% | 43% |
| Not that concerned | 10% | 14% | 28% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 | 1,057 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very concerned | 53% | 49% | 56% | 50% | 54% | 54% | 56% | 46% | |
| Quite concerned | 35% | 37% | 32% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 33% | 37% | |
| Not that concerned | 10% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 13% | |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- Concern about Covid-19 has increased this week, with 53% now very concerned (up 14pts from last week).
- This is driven by more women saying they are very concerned about Covid-19 (up 8pts from last week) and capital city residents increasing concern (also up 8pt).
Likelihood of developing Coronavirus
Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?
| 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | |
| Very likely | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Somewhat likely | 36% | 34% | 24% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 45% | 45% | 43% |
| Very unlikely | 12% | 13% | 26% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very likely | 8% | 11% | 8% | 5% | 8% | 6% |
| Somewhat likely | 36% | 37% | 42% | 29% | 37% | 34% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 45% | 39% | 41% | 54% | 43% | 49% |
| Very unlikely | 12% | 13% | 10% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 |
- Individual likelihood of developing Covid-19 is on par with last week, 8% of participants believe it’s very likely they will develop Covid-19, compared to 12% who think it’s very unlikely.
- Participants over 55 believe that they are unlikely to develop Covid-19 (66% somewhat/very unlikely) than those between 18-34 (52% unlikely).
Reaction to Covid-19
Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 18% | 33% |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 39% | 39% |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 43% | 28% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 18% | 20% | 17% | 24% | 19% | 12% | |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 39% | 42% | 36% | 39% | 39% | 39% | |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 43% | 39% | 47% | 37% | 42% | 49% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | |
- Now 43% of participants believe the threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated compared to 28% who said the same last week.
- Women (47%) and participants over 55 years old (49%) are more likely say the treat has been under-estimated than men (39%) and 18-34 year olds (37%).
Truth in statements about Covid-19 spread
Q. How confident are you that the following statements about Covid-19 are true?
| NET: True | NET: Not true | Definitely true | Probably true | Probably not true | Definitely not true | Unsure | |
| Even if children and young people tend to be less affected by Covid-19, they can still catch it and pass it on to others | 88% | 8% | 62% | 26% | 6% | 2% | 4% |
| It’s possible for people to have the virus and be contagious even if they don’t feel sick in any way | 88% | 8% | 61% | 26% | 6% | 3% | 4% |
| You can still catch Covid-19 even if you have a face mask | 82% | 12% | 50% | 32% | 9% | 3% | 6% |
| People are buying up and hoarding large amounts of medicines and toilet paper so they can sell them for inflated profits | 74% | 20% | 38% | 36% | 16% | 5% | 5% |
| Busloads of outsiders have been observed coming to small-town supermarkets and buying up most of their stock in response to the Covid-19 outbreak | 73% | 17% | 39% | 33% | 13% | 4% | 10% |
| It’s no more dangerous than a typical winter flu | 31% | 61% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 44% | 8% |
- More than four in five participants believe the three statements about the spread of Covid-19 to be true.
| NET: True | Gender | Age Group | |||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| Even if children and young people tend to be less affected by Covid-19, they can still catch it and pass it on to others | 88% | 85% | 92% | 81% | 88% | 95% | |
| You can still catch Covid-19 even if you have a face mask | 82% | 80% | 85% | 77% | 81% | 88% | |
| Busloads of outsiders have been observed coming to small-town supermarkets and buying up most of their stock in response to the Covid-19 outbreak | 73% | 70% | 75% | 65% | 70% | 81% | |
| People are buying up and hoarding large amounts of medicines and toilet paper so they can sell them for inflated profits | 74% | 71% | 77% | 69% | 70% | 82% | |
| It’s no more dangerous than a typical winter flu | 31% | 34% | 28% | 38% | 30% | 26% | |
| It’s possible for people to have the virus and be contagious even if they don’t feel sick in any way | 88% | 84% | 91% | 82% | 88% | 92% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | |
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| Very poor | 11% | 9% |
| Quite poor | 21% | 20% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 24% | 26% |
| Quite good | 34% | 33% |
| Very good | 11% | 12% |
| NET: Good | 45% | 45% |
| NET: Poor | 31% | 29% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very poor | 11% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 12% | |
| Quite poor | 21% | 22% | 20% | 24% | 21% | 17% | 23% | 16% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 24% | 22% | 25% | 32% | 26% | 14% | 23% | 24% | |
| Quite good | 34% | 35% | 33% | 27% | 31% | 42% | 33% | 36% | |
| Very good | 11% | 10% | 13% | 6% | 10% | 18% | 11% | 12% | |
| NET: Good | 45% | 44% | 46% | 33% | 40% | 60% | 44% | 48% | |
| NET: Poor | 31% | 33% | 29% | 35% | 33% | 26% | 33% | 28% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
Information about Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the information you’ve received about the Covid-19 outbreak?
| NET: Agree | 29/03 | 22/03 |
| I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family | 63% | 64% |
| I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 56% | 56% |
| The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent | 47% | 51% |
| I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 42% | 35% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| NET: Agree | NET: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family | 63% | 17% | 6% | 11% | 20% | 44% | 19% |
| I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 56% | 22% | 8% | 14% | 23% | 37% | 19% |
| The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent | 47% | 30% | 10% | 20% | 23% | 32% | 15% |
| I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 42% | 33% | 14% | 19% | 26% | 32% | 10% |
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.
Support for restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the following the following measures which have been implemented or suggested, to reduce the spread and transmission of Covid-19?
| NET: Support | NET: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Neither support nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 5% | 74% | 13% | 7% | 3% | 2% |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 5% | 57% | 25% | 13% | 3% | 2% |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 8% | 57% | 24% | 11% | 5% | 3% |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 9% | 55% | 24% | 11% | 6% | 3% |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 7% | 51% | 29% | 14% | 4% | 3% |
| Closing schools | 69% | 13% | 43% | 26% | 18% | 8% | 4% |
- More than 80% of participants support five of the six implemented or suggested measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 – closing schools is the only measure with lower support (69% support).
| NET: SUPPORT | Gender | Age Group | Location | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 82% | 93% | 77% | 88% | 96% | 86% | 91% | |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 79% | 85% | 74% | 82% | 90% | 81% | 84% | |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 76% | 87% | 73% | 80% | 90% | 81% | 82% | |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 73% | 86% | 74% | 78% | 86% | 79% | 81% | |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 75% | 84% | 71% | 78% | 89% | 78% | 84% | |
| Closing schools | 69% | 63% | 75% | 71% | 69% | 67% | 69% | 70% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- Women and participants over 55 years olds are more supportive of all the listed measures than men or participants 18-34 years old.
| Household | |||
| NET: SUPPORT | Total | Have dependent children | Do not have dependent children |
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 85% | 89% |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 78% | 84% |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 79% | 83% |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 76% | 82% |
| Closing schools | 69% | 69% | 69% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 713 | 373 |
- There is no difference in support for closing schools between participants with dependent child and those without (both 69%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this weeks ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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