FINDINGS COVID TRACKER WEEK THIRTY-NINE

Due to the government announcement of a new Tier 4 and change of Christmas rules, we decided to run the survey again two weeks after the last one and not wait a month.
And we are glad we did, because what a stark change to the positivity of two weeks ago….
Feeling hopeful has gone DOWN from 46% to 21%. Concern has gone UP again from 39% to 58%. And those feeling angry is UP from 21% to 36% and scared UP from 12% to 25%! This is a major knockback but we do hope that it is temporary and things will start looking up in the new year.

But for now, people are not very impressed with the last-minute announcements - the highest proportion EVER  - 29% - are rating the government handling of the situation as DISASTER (1 out of 10) and their speed of response as MUCH TOO SLOWLY – 65%. It does seem that they waited too long to change the plans and it has affected multiple people, who are left with 10kg turkeys for 4. We fear that the marathon of prolonged turkey eating may last till the end of January at this rate!

Unfortunately, 35% of the survey respondents ended up in Tier 4, and in some parts of the country Tier jealousy took over. For example, only one part of Surrey – Waverly – remained in Tier 2 and smug about it, whereas the rest are in Tier 4 and feeling like second class citizens! In order to avert the civil war, the government did announce though that on Boxing day Waverly is also joining Tier 4!
Despite a lot of grumbling, however, the majority consider the latest measures necessary, even in Tier 4 61% agree that though they are tough and disappointing, they are the right thing to do.

41% would have preferred a longer, and more complete, lockdown before, so we could properly enjoy Christmas.

60% in Tier 3 or below think it is completely irresponsible of people to crowd onto trains from London to avoid Tier 4 and risk spreading the new variant. However, understandably, a lower percentage - 52% - from Tier 4 itself agree. In fact, 70% overall are worried about the new Covid-19 strain, likely because of the other countries taking it seriously and closing their borders to travellers from the UK.

Only a minority – 6% - think that we should all have the right to a decent Christmas and then lockdown in January for as long as it takes. So, this just proves, that really there are no right and wrong answers and the government are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

At the time of the survey the whole Covid saga had also been spiced up in the last week or so by the very real prospect of No-Deal Brexit with 50% concerned about it, and 42% worried about the availability of food with borders closing. As we write these words a deal looks more likely - but who knows in these crazy times!
One positive thing we can see from all this is no need to share the box of Quality Street with the in-laws and eating lots of cheese, even the weird varieties we do not normally like.

We will run the survey again in the new year, but for now, stay safe, healthy and here is to a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2021!

Your Talkinsights team

Market Research