8 in 10 families did not contract Covid by maintaining social distancing, wearing masks: Survey

PTI, Apr 14, 2022, 4:08 PM IST

Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks diligently prevented of eight out of 10 families in India from getting infected with Covid, a new survey has claimed. The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, received over 29,000 responses from citizens across 345 districts of India. LocalCircles claimed that the survey showed 57 percent of Indian families had one or more individuals testing Covid positive in the last two years. It said the objective of this survey was to understand what works and create awareness among the larger citizenry and also quantify the role of masking, social distancing and ensuring air ventilation inside indoor spaces in the last two years during the Covid pandemic. The survey was conducted at a time when several states have removed Covid restrictions. ”On an aggregate basis, 57 percent of Indian families have had one or more individuals testing Covid positive in the last two years, or during the first, second, or third waves of the pandemic. This question received 10,200 responses,” the survey showed. ”Eight in 10 families who did not have any family member get infected with Covid in the last two years said they minimised social contact and diligently followed masking and social distancing norms,” the survey showed. If responses by those citizens who did not get infected in the last two years are analysed, 80 percent said they ”minimised social contact and followed masking and social distancing protocols when Covid waves came”, while 53 percent ”maintained an active and healthy lifestyle during the same period”. It said 33 percent said they ”only met people outdoors or ensured good air ventilation when they met indoors”.

Seventy-four 74 percent of families, who had one or more family members getting infected with Covid in the last two years, said they could have avoided it by minimising social contact and following masking and social distancing norms during the three waves.

Effective masking, social distancing and indoor air ventilation remain the best protection against Covid, the survey showed. The survey said 61 percent of respondents were men while 39 percent were women. It said 45 percent of respondents were from tier-1 cities, 31 percent were from tier 2 towns and 24 percent from tier-3, 4 and rural districts. The survey was conducted via the LocalCircles platform, and all participants have validated citizens who had to be registered with it to participate.