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Infection with Corona: Sense of security among the population has slightly increased

15/2021, 19.04.2021

Almost half of the respondents think they can protect themselves from an infection

46 percent of respondents to a recent survey are confident that they can protect themselves from an infection with the coronavirus. Two weeks earlier, this figure was still at 40 percent. This is shown by the 33rd edition of the BfR-Corona-Monitor, a regular survey by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) on the current events surrounding the corona pandemic. It seems that the sense of security also depends on age. "54 percent of those who are 60 or older think they can protect themselves from an infection - for each of the younger age groups, this figure is only just over 40 percent," says BfR-President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel." This may also be explained by the fact that more older people are already vaccinated."

Differences between the age groups are also evident in the personal measures the population takes to protect themselves against an infection with the coronavirus. For example, people aged 40 and over stated more often than younger people that they keep more distance from others, ventilate closed rooms more frequently or use disinfectants. At the same time, however, younger people are getting tested for the coronavirus more often and have food delivered more frequently.

Compared to the previous survey, considerably more people see the media coverage about the coronavirus as exaggerated. While at the end of March 35 percent perceived it as exaggerated, now 44 percent of respondents do. The proportion of people who consider the reporting to be appropriate fell for the first time to just under 50 percent. Eight percent of the population still consider the reporting to be downplaying.

The BfR has published FAQs on the topic of coronavirus:

About the BfR-Corona-Monitor

The BfR-Corona-Monitor is a recurring (multi-wave) representative survey on the risk perception of the population in Germany towards the novel coronavirus. Every week between 24 March and 26 May 2020, around 500 randomly selected people were asked by telephone about their assessment of the risk of infection and their protective measures, among other things. Since June 2020, the survey is continued every two weeks with about 1,000 respondents each. A summary of the data is regularly published on the homepage of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. More information about the method and sample can be found in publications about the BfR-Corona-Monitor.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. It advises the German federal government and German federal states ("Laender") on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

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BfR-Corona-MONITOR

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