Public Concern About Covid-19 Declines While Hope Rises as Restrictions Set to Ease

Public concern about the Covid-19 pandemic has declined this month according to Core’s latest Consumer Mindset report, which has tracked sentiment towards Covid-19 for 21 months. 

According to the research from Ireland’s largest marketing communications agency, just 42% of people remain concerned which is a decrease since December (48%) and down significantly since January 2020 when concern levels peaked at 71%.

Half (50%) of the Irish public are optimistic we can overcome Covid-19, with almost 30% of people looking forward to a full re-opening. While concern about the pandemic is in decline and restrictions are set to ease, caution still remains around socialising too much too soon with over 30% of people still hesitant to meet friends or go places and 17% of people happy to 'wait a bit longer' before returning to full socialising.

The report shows there is a significant increase in confidence among the Irish public when it comes certain activities including flying, going to restaurants or pubs indoors and returning to the office / workplace.

• 2.4m people are confident to meet friends for drinks or dinner indoors
• Over 1.8m people are happy to travel on public transport
• 1.7m people are looking forward to return to the office, workplace and college
• 1.3m people are confident in flying abroad
• Over 1.5m are confident to attend an outdoor sporting event
• Almost 1.3m are confident to go to an outdoor music / cultural event
• Almost 1m people are looking forward to dancing indoors in a club or at an indoor concert

Author of the report, and marketing director at Core, Finian Murphy says: “While its evident from this month’s report that a certain level of caution still remains present, it also reveals results that show hope about the future is gaining momentum, which coincides well with the welcome news of restrictions being lifted at an earlier date than planned. Many people have lived with and managed uncertainty to a significant level over the last almost three years, and while burnout and isolation has impacted many, the majority of the population are now equipped to make more empowered decisions. This will impact everything from brand choice to political voting. The pandemic years of uncertainty will become the Era of Personal Empowerment.”

Research fieldwork was conducted by Core Research, with interviews with 1,000 adults, representative of the Irish population in January 2022.

To read the full report, visit here.