Time to return to normal

Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur?

LAST MONTH (22/06)	Within the next six months	Seven months up to one year	One to two years	More than two years	Never
A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed	11%	22%	43%	20%	4%
Quarantine will no longer required after international travel	12%	27%	35%	22%	4%
The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels	11%	22%	38%	25%	4%
International travel will be allowed without restriction	10%	23%	39%	24%	4%
Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels	8%	17%	37%	33%	6%
The population will build resistance to Covid-19 through exposure (herd immunity)	8%	15%	31%	27%	20%
Australia will pay off its national debt	5%	9%	12%	52%	22%

 

• Expectations of the effect of the Covid-19 have lengthened in the past month, with more people now thinking the impacts will last for more than two years.
• 32% expect it will be over two years before quarantine following international travel is removed (up from 22% last month). Similarly more people now think it will be over two years before housing prices (25% to 38%), unrestricted international travel (24% to 38%) and unemployment (33% to 48%) return to pre-Covid levels.
• 26% do not think a population-wide resistance to the disease will ever be achieved.