COVID-19 remains top most worry of urban Indians: Survey

NEW DELHI: Ipsos released its monthly survey on ‘What worries the world’ on February 25. Even as India is witnessing a decline in the number of new COVID-19 infections, the novel coronavirus has emerged as the top concern among urban Indians and global citizens. 33 per cent, on average, said that it is one of the biggest issues that their country is facing today. The survey reported Japan as the country most concerned about the COVID-19, followed by South Korea and Australia.

The top 5 global issues in the survey have the same rank and order – COVID-19, poverty/social inequality, unemployment, financial/political corruption, crime and violence. Inflation overtook healthcare to become the sixth most worrying issue worldwide. Great Britain saw the greatest increase in concern about inflation. 63 per cent, on average, people from across the globe said that their nation’s economy is ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ bad.

Unemployment remained one of the top worries among urban Indians. It registered a two per cent increase in worry levels in comparison to the January survey results. Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India, said that restrictions are easing in India and the common man is learning to live with the novel coronavirus and job opportunities are also increasing. But the virus has not gone away completely and therefore, he said worry levels continue to stay among people.

Among urban Indians, 28 per cent cited financial and political corruption as their topmost worry. Adarkar said that the survey highlights the macro issues by markets and what worries the citizens to enable governments to prioritise them over others. On the other hand, India came out as the second most optimistic market in the survey after Saudi Arabia. 78 per cent of people in India and 93 per cent in Saudi Arabia remain happy with the economy.