Coronavirus Survey Results

You may view the complete results of the survey by clicking here. 

I am happy to report the results of a survey I conducted recently, about the state of knowledge of Americans about Coronavirus. This survey was administered through an online google form to high school students at my high school, Hopewell Valley Central High School, in New Jersey. I also asked my dad to offer this to his network on Linked-in. In all, 272 people responded to the survey request. Of these, 261 surveys were completed fully and were therefore evaluated for final analysis. Here are some of the key results of the survey.

The survey indicates that people have a general fear of coronavirus. They reported that when they think about coronavirus, words like “dangerous,” “deadly,” and “scary,” come to their mind. While this was not probed in the survey, this fear could be due to a general lack of understanding about what coronavirus is. Additionally, the media has constantly been reporting about deaths related to coronavirus, which could also be a reason for the general fear that the respondents have towards coronavirus.

More than half (52.1%) think that coronavirus is a type of flu, which is incorrect (flu is caused by the influenza virus, not the coronavirus). This information reveals the general lack of knowledge of coronavirus, which is also evidenced by 71% of the respondents feeling that they do not have all of the information that they need regarding coronavirus. The respondents want to know more about Coronavirus infection prevention methods and treatments, revealing that the information they want is not easily accessible. Most of them (63.3%) would be satisfied with simply having a document of facts about coronavirus.  This, perhaps, would be a way to ease tension regarding the epidemic. A lack of understanding about coronavirus, coupled with the high media coverage, is, perhaps, a big factor in the rise of fear and hysteria surrounding coronavirus.

A small number of respondents (10-18%) believe that coronavirus can be transmitted through contaminated water and meat, which is incorrect. However, most respondents correctly indicated that coronavirus transmission occurs from person to person contact or through the air. 

Most respondents seem to understand that coronavirus is highly contagious and has the potential to be very deadly. Additionally, ~70% indicated that the death rate is greater than 2%. and 13% indicated that the death rate greater than 25%, which is incorrect. The death rate due to coronavirus is actually around 1.4%, as reported in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

In regards to treatment and prevention, ~36% respondents think that Coronavirus can be treated with antiviral medications. While several antiviral treatments are under study, no such medication is currently approved for use against this infection. 

70% of the respondents think that wearing a mask is a good preventative measure, which is not true. The CDC does not recommend the use of a mask by the general public.  Masks only benefit healthcare workers who wear special types of masks (called N95) when working with patients. Simply wearing a standard surgical mask in public is of no use in preventing one from contracting Coronavirus. On the other hand, most respondents did report that the best preventive measure is to stay away from infected patients, washing hands, and avoiding crowded areas, which is correct. 

What is quite shocking is that while there is so much talk about coronavirus today, with many people fearing that they will contract it, over half of the respondents could not accurately list the correct symptoms of coronavirus, further revealing the misunderstandings and lack of knowledge that people have about coronavirus. Only 66% (170 individuals) were able to correctly list fever, cough, and difficulty breathing as the symptoms of coronavirus. Additionally, many believe that coronavirus tests are available at doctors’ offices (22%), and 20% believe that there is no test at all, both of which are incorrect. There is indeed a test available, but only the CDC has access to it; however, the latest reports indicate that CDC is making an effort to make this test widely available. 

The results of this survey are quite interesting and reveal that there is a high degree of misunderstanding about coronavirus among people. Proper information is needed, not only to address questions people have about coronavirus infection, but also to clear up the misunderstanding, confusion, fear, and stereotypes regarding this epidemic. If everyone is educated on this matter, we will be one step closer to finding a way to control this epidemic.

You may view the complete results of the survey by clicking here. 

If you need more information, please email me at jaya.joshi(@)icloud.com