Public opinion surveys conducted in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are revealing a mix of sharp changes in attitudes and an uptick in optimism that the coronavirus crisis will be resolved in the next three months.
Nearly two months ago, as coronavirus was declared a globalpandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), the online research firmYouGov began tracking attitudes and behaviors surrounding the coronavirusdisease (COVID-19), using their global research panel of more than 8 millionrespondents.
When YouGov published its first findings on March 18, 64percent of Saudi residents said they were scared of catching the virus; thecorresponding figure for the UAE was 61 percent.
On May 6, YouGov released the eighth wave of its trackerdata, which suggests that the threat perception has only increased: 75 percentof Saudi respondents reported being fearful of contracting the infection while73 percent of UAE residents felt the same way.
Just 7 percent described themselves as “Not at all scaredthat I will contract COVID-19,” while 12 out of the 2,002 people surveyedreported having already contracted the virus.
Globally, over 4 million people have been infected byCOVID-19 and more than 276,000 of them have died.
In Saudi Arabia, the number of confirmed cases now exceeds35,000 while the UAE has reported 16,793 confirmed cases.
With widespread and persistent fear of the illnesscontinuing to dominate daily life, it is unsurprising that 46 percent of Saudiand UAE residents strongly feel that the pandemic will permanently change theway we live and interact with each other.
Just 8 percent of respondents do not agree with thestatement “The coronavirus pandemic will permanently change the way we live andinteract with each other.”
Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have managed to keep COVID-19fatality cases to less than 1 percent of the total number of infections — amongthe lowest ratios in the world, going by available data.
According to self-reported figures, just 0.66 percent ofthose contracting the virus in Saudi Arabia die from the disease where as Inthe UAE, the figure is 0.93 percent.
These figures are lower than the WHO’s latest estimatedmortality rate of 3.4 percent (by comparison, seasonal flu globally kills farfewer than 1 percent of those infected).
The low mortality rates of Saudi Arabia and the UAE canperhaps be explained by their high testing rates, young populations andeffective social distancing measures.
YouGov data suggests that the practice of social distancinghas been widely adopted in both countries.
Indeed, 98 percent of Saudi and UAE respondents said theyhave changed their daily behaviors and are now taking precautionary measures.
These include avoiding crowded places (78 percent), wearinga face mask (71 percent), improved personal hygiene (74 percent) and workingfrom home (47 percent).
In the UAE, where wearing a face mask is now mandatory inpublic, 80 percent of respondents said they are complying with this measure.
The corresponding figure for Saudi Arabia is lower, at 63percent.
By contrast, the percentage of people who said they areworking from home in Saudi Arabia is higher (54 percent) than in the UAE (44percent).
And as the Gulf countries enter the second week of the holymonth of Ramadan, the YouGov data indicates that the coronavirus is not onlychanging residents’ daily habits, but also having an impact on some of theiroldest traditions.
A security guard checks temperature of man arriving at ashopping mall, as a screening precaution against the COVID-19 coronaviruspandemic, in the Saudi capital Riyadh on May 4, 2020, as malls reopen afterauthorities began a partial lifting of the coronavirus lockdown. (AFP)
With more residents observing Ramadan at home, 50 percent ofUAE and Saudi respondents reported spending more money on essential items suchas groceries, 45 percent of residents said they are watching more TV than inprevious years, and 49 percent said they are watching more online content.
With 68 percent reporting fewer in-person gatherings, manyresidents are looking online to maintain connections with friends and families.
The YouGov data suggests 62 percent of Saudi and UAEresidents have increased the amount of time they are spending socializingonline through messaging or video calling and 66 percent are spending more timesocial media browsing.
Data released by YouGov in early April suggests that anincreasing number of people (51 percent) in Saudi Arabia and the UAE areconcerned about losing their jobs.
Notably, UAE residents are much more worried about this outcomecompared with those of Saudi Arabia (64 percent vs 38 percent).
Mindful of a challenging time ahead, 58 percent of Saudirespondents said they have decreased their spending on non-essential itemssince last year.
The proportion of UAE residents who expressed the samesentiment was higher, 61 percent.
At the same time, Gulf Arabs streak of generosity remainsstrong as ever, with 39 percent of respondents saying that they have increasedtheir charitable donations since last year.
In the two countries, 35 percent said their charitablegiving is the same as last year, with just 20 percent saying this amount hasdecreased since last year.
The virus impact is being felt positively in other areas aswell.
Going by the YouGov tracker data, a majority of residents inSaudi Arabia and the UAE feel that the coronavirus crisis will have a positiveimpact on life as they know it.
Only 10 per cent (most likely 18-24-year-olds) said theyfeel that nothing positive will emerge from the experience.
The vast majority of respondents (61 percent) agree thatcoronavirus pandemic will have a positive impact on the environment; 55 percentfeel that it will lead to greater appreciation of family and social ties; and34 percent believe it has the potential to drive transformation in technology.
The data suggests, however, that the two countries’residents are divided on when and how the coronavirus crises is likely to beresolved.
In terms of numbers, 37 percent were optimistic that aglobal resolution would happen by the end of June; 53 percent said by the endof August; and 66 percent by the end of the year.
Whilst the majority are optimistic, 13 percent expect thecrisis to continue into 2021 and a further 21 percent do not know or cannot saywhen the crises might end.
Many in the Kingdom and the UAE think waiting for a vaccineto materialize before resumption of normal activities might not be possible.
Just 9 percent said that they would need a vaccine to beready before they feel comfortable visiting shopping malls.
One in five people feel that an effective coronavirustreatment is the key to getting life back to normal.Overall, a mere 20 percent of Saudi and UAErespondents said they would feel comfortable visiting restaurants, cinemas,shopping malls and hotels even if a medicine to treat coronavirus was madewidely available.