The proportion of Filipinos who fear the "worst is yet to come" in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has increased in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results released on Thursday, June 3.
Of the 1,200 adult respondents surveyed on April 28–May 2, 2021, 49 percent said the "worst is yet to come," up from 31 percent in the November 2020 survey.
"This is the highest since the 57 percent in July 2020. Conversely, those saying the worst is behind us fell from 69 percent in November 2020 to 50 percent in May 2021," SWS pointed out.
The percentage of those who fear the worst is yet to come is highest in Balance Luzon (54 percent), followed by Metro Manila (50 percent), Visayas (49 percent), and Mindanao (38 percent).
Compared to November 2020, SWS said those who fear the worst is yet to come rose by 28 points in Metro Manila (from 22 percent), by 23 points in Balance Luzon (from 31 percent), by 17 points in Visayas (from 32 percent), and by three points in Mindanao (from 35 percent).
Meanwhile, those who said "the worst is behind us" are now highest in Mindanao (62 percent), followed by Visayas (51 percent), Metro Manila (49 percent), and Balance Luzon (45 percent).
Compared to November 2020, however, those saying "the worst is behind us" fell by 29 points in Metro Manila (from 78 percent), by 24 points in Balance Luzon (from 69 percent), by 16 points in Visayas (from 67 percent), and by three points in Mindanao (from 65 percent).
During the same survey period, SWS found that 89 percent of Filipino adults are worried (70 percent a great deal worried, 19 percent somewhat worried) and 11 percent a little/not worried (5 percent a little worried, 6 percent not worried) that anyone in their immediate family might catch COVID-19.
SWS said the latest percentage of those worried about catching COVID-19 is two points below the record-high 91 percent in November 2020, but still higher than the 85 percent in September 2020 and July 2020.
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 or SARS.
The percentage of those a great deal/somewhat worried about catching COVID-19 is still highest in Visayas (92 percent), followed by Mindanao (90 percent), Balance Luzon (88 percent), and Metro Manila (85 percent).
Compared to November 2020, SWS said worry about catching COVID-19 stayed at 85 percent in Metro Manila, while it barely moved from 89 percent in Balance Luzon.
It fell slightly from 96 percent in Visayas and 95 percent in Mindanao.