SWS: 83% of Filipinos hope COVID-19’s worst is over

The Social Weather Survey of April 19-27, 2022, the most recent quarterly national survey finalized by SWS, found a record-high 83% of adult Filipinos hopeful that “the worst is behind us” with the COVID-19 crisis.

This is 3 points above the previous record of 80% in December 2021, and nearly twice as high as the 44% when SWS first asked the question in May 2020.

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On the other hand, those fearing “the worst is yet to come” fell from 19% in December 2021 to 16% in April 2022.

Worry about catching COVID-19 remains at 88%

The April 2022 survey also found 88% a great deal/somewhat worried (74% a great deal worried, 14% somewhat worried) and 12% a little worried/not worried (4% a little worried, 8% not worried) that anyone in their immediate family might catch COVID-19.

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This is similar to the 88% (72% a great deal worried, 16% somewhat worried) in December 2021, but 3 points below the 91% (76% a great deal worried, 15% somewhat worried) in September 2021.

Compared to past SWS surveys, worry about catching COVID-19 is much greater than worries about catching previous viruses such as Ebola, Swine Flu, Bird Flu, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

“The worst is behind us” rises in Visayas and Mindanao

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The April 2022 percentage of those saying “the worst is behind us” with the COVID-19 crisis is highest in Mindanao (86%), followed by Metro Manila (82%), Balance Luzon (82%), and the Visayas (81%).

SWS: 83% of Filipinos hope COVID-19’s worst is over

Compared to December 2021, those saying “the worst is behind us” rose by 3 points from 83% in Mindanao, and by 6 points from 75% in the Visayas. It stayed at 82% in Metro Manila, while it hardly moved from 81% in Balance Luzon.

On the other hand, the percentage of those fearing “the worst is yet to come” is slightly higher in the Visayas (18%), Balance Luzon (18%), and Metro Manila (17%) than in Mindanao (12%).

Compared to December 2021, those saying “the worst is yet to come” fell by 6 points from 24% in the Visayas, and by 5 points from 17% in Mindanao. It hardly moved from 17% in Balance Luzon and 18% in Metro Manila.

The percentage of those a great deal/somewhat worried about catching COVID-19 is highest in the Visayas (94%), followed by Mindanao (93%), Balance Luzon (85%), and Metro Manila (83%) .

Compared to December 2021, worry about catching COVID-19 fell by 4 points from 87% in Metro Manila. However, it stayed at 94% in the Visayas, while it hardly moved from 91% in Mindanao and 84% in Balance Luzon.

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