55% of Pakistanis Think The Coronavirus Threat is Being Exaggerated: Gallup Survey

A survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan has revealed that 55% of Pakistanis consider that the coronavirus isn’t as dangerous as it seems.

The Coronavirus Attitude Tracker Survey was held to ascertain the changing perspective of people about COVID-19 and the lockdown imposed to stem its spread.

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Respondents from Pakistan are fourth most likely to believe that the COVID-19 threat is overrated. The survey showed that 57% of respondents from Pakistan, and those from Sindh (65%), agreed that the danger of coronavirus is exaggerated.

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Respondents, those from Japan (12%) are least likely to say the same. The survey findings show that public opinion is split over the COVID-19 pandemic has been brought under control; 47% agree, while 48% disagree — 33% strongly disagree.

The survey revealed that one in five Pakistanis – about 22 percent – admitted to having at least one coronavirus case in their family/social circle. In comparison, only 6% of Indians reported the same.

Similarly, the survey found that 12 percent of Pakistanis claim to have had a virus-related death in their social circle.

One-third of the respondents disagree with the number of COVID-19 cases being reported by the government. They believe that the government is exaggerating numbers to attract foreign funds.

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In the past two months, as the COVID-19 cases increased exponentially, there has been a sharp decline of 15% in the proportion of Pakistanis who think that the federal government is controlling the coronavirus situation very well. In the recent survey, 67% agree, while 28% disagree.

The survey found that about 74% of Pakistanis are ready to send their children to school if they re-open. Urban respondents (30%) and females (28%) are most likely to send their children to school if they re-open. The survey found that three in five (59%) Pakistanis are hopeful that life in Pakistan will return to normal by the end of the year.