Worries for coronavirus skyrocket in Turkey as cases rise

ISTANBUL

The Turkish public is becoming increasingly concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey conducted between Aug. 18-22 by research company Ipsos has found.

The survey suggests that in August, some 53 percent of the participants said that they think the outbreak is a threat to them and their families, rising from 37 percent at the beginning of June. Some 63 percent of the participants do not think that in-classroom education will start on Sept. 21 as officials announced.

“Three in four people are concerned. The rise in the numbers of the coronavirus cases and the social mood points suggest that we are going through the second wave of the outbreak,” the officials, heading the survey, told daily Milliyet.

Due to the pandemic, the usual summer activities took a setback. Experts said 90 percent of the participants indulged in watching either movies or TV series while 69 percent played games on computers, mobiles or other gaming platforms.

The survey states that amid the outbreak, 83 percent of the participants said that to stay connected with their friends and family they made use of video conferencing and they continued to do so in the summer as well amid lockdowns and stay-at-home orders.

When the first coronavirus case was confirmed on March 11 in Turkey, the fear of coronavirus among those surveyed was 58 percent. “With time, the rate fell below 50. In June, the rate fell to the least 37 percent,” said the experts.

However, with the current rising cases, the threat of coronavirus among the public has surpassed 50 percent with 3 points.

Education Minister Ziya Selçuk previously announced that the online education would start on Aug. 31 and face-to-face education on Sept. 21. However, the Ipsos survey shows that the public has doubts about that.

Only some 24 percent of the participants think face-to-face education can start on Sept. 21, while some 13 percent said they have no idea about this issue.

When asked, “Are you worried?” a majority of the respondents said, “Yes.”

Some 64 percent of the participants said, “I was worried at the beginning of the outbreak and still am.”

Some 10 percent said, “I was not worried, but started to feel worried with time.”

Only 5 percent stressed that they never felt any worry at any time.