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Reaction to Covid-19

Apr 21, 2020
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Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?

  20/04 13/04 06/04 29/03 22/03
There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 14% 13% 17% 18% 33%
The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 63% 59% 46% 39% 39%
The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 24% 29% 37% 43% 28%
Base (n) 1,051 1,068 1,069 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 14% 16% 11% 23% 10% 9%
The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 63% 58% 67% 56% 64% 67%
The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 24% 26% 22% 21% 26% 24%
Base (n) 1,051 525 526 341 325 385
  • The proportion of people judging the response to the Covid-19 outbreak has been steadily increasing for the past four weeks and has now reached 63% (up from 39% last month).
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Reaction to Covid-19

Apr 14, 2020
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Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?

  13/04 06/04 29/03 22/03
There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 13% 17% 18% 33%
The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 59% 46% 39% 39%
The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 29% 37% 43% 28%
Base (n) 1,068 1,069 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 13% 16% 10% 19% 13% 7%
The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 59% 58% 60% 52% 63% 60%
The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 29% 26% 31% 29% 23% 33%
Base (n) 1,068 537 531 343 340 385
  • Over half of people (59%) now believe the reaction to the threat of Covid-19 has been about right.
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Reaction to Covid-19

Mar 31, 2020
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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%).
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Reaction to Covid-19

Mar 24, 2020
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Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?

    Gender Age Group Location
  Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 33% 36% 30% 39% 37% 23% 34% 30%
The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 39% 40% 39% 40% 33% 44% 39% 39%
The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 28% 24% 32% 21% 30% 33% 27% 31%
Base (n) 1,096 519 515 342 327 365 703 331
  • A third of people believe there has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19. Men (36%) and those aged 18-34 (39%) are more likely to think there has been an over-reaction than women (30%) and those aged 55+ (23%).
  • 39% think the reaction has been proportionate to the threat and 28% believe the threat has been under-estimated.
  • Those who think there has been an over-reaction are less concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (69% very/somewhat concerned, compared to 92% who think the threat has been under-estimated) and think they are less likely to contract the virus (38% to 49% very/somewhat likely to catch Covid-19).
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COVID-19 RESEARCH

Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.

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Essential Report

Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019

Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5

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