A statewide survey by the University of Hawai?i in the College of Social Sciences yielded surprising results from Â鶹´«Ã½ residents regarding the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. covered how residents viewed the state¡¯s COVID-19 response, frequency of mask use, social gatherings, adherence to health guidelines, health and life impacts of COVID-19, willingness to take the vaccine when one becomes available, financial concerns, tourism and more.
“I was particularly surprised that only 51% of residents planned to get a COVID-19 vaccination,” said Professor Colin Moore, director of the UH Public Policy Center. “This illustrates people¡¯s anxieties about the vaccine process, that it could be rushed or affected by the election.”
Despite concerns over the safety of a future vaccine, 85% of respondents were concerned about long-term effects on health, a concern that was felt more by lower income residents compared with higher income residents.
Another concerning area was how respondents chose to wear face masks or other coverings. While 99% reported wearing some type of face covering while visiting a store or business, only 29% percent wore masks all or most of the time while visiting family members and 39% when visiting friends.
“People are really good about wearing masks in public places and certainly stores, but they seem to let their guard down when they¡¯re with friends and family,” said Moore. “I think the state needs to communicate that these rules don¡¯t just apply when you are visiting a store, they also apply when you¡¯re visiting your family, and that¡¯s a tough thing.”
The survey showed that residents are critical of the state¡¯s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On a scale of 1–10 with one being “terrible” and 10 being “excellent,” almost half the respondents rated the state¡¯s response to the pandemic a low 1–4 in four areas: responding to coronavirus, informing residents about issues facing the community, being open and transparent to the public and keeping us safe.
Also unsurprisingly, 82% of respondents did not want tourists arriving in their communities at this time.
The statewide survey was administered August 21–31 with a total of 634 respondents.
at the UH Public Policy Center website.