Poll: Czechs are still afraid of COVID-19, but less cautious than in the spring

Prague, Nov 20 (CTK) - Czechs now fear COVID-19 to about the same degree as they did during the the first wave of the epidemic in the spring, but are currently less cautious, according to a poll conducted by PAQ Research and released on Friday.

Compared to the spring, the proportion of Czechs who observe preventative measures against infection such as wearing face masks, using disinfectants, and avoiding places with a large concentration of people has decreased.

Like in March and April, fear of COVID-19 was expressed by about 80 percent of those polled.

After the summer dip in fear levels, when the spread of the disease also fell, the figure started to rise again.

People over 55 are most likely to be afraid of COVID-19, according to the poll.

In August, only 40 percent of Czechs took preventative action to avoid infection. At present, almost 90 percent of them take steps to avoid catching COVID-19 such as wearing face masks or respirators.

Additionally, around 70 percent also use disinfectants, limit personal contacts such as handshakes, and avoid places with large crowds of people.

About two-thirds of respondents said they wash their hands more often than before the epidemic.

The data comes from polls conducted once every two to three weeks since March. Between 2,200-2,600 people participate in each poll.

The latest poll was conducted on November 10.