Levels of worry about Covid-19 have reached their lowest in Ireland since the start of the pandemic, with just 37 per cent of adults currently concerned about the virus, the latest Consumer Mindset Report from Core marketing communications indicates. Optimism around the vaccine rollout is a welcome boost in public morale in comparison to January 2021.
At the start of the year, levels of public concern about Covid-19 peaked at 71 per cent.
The report also highlights that during the first two weeks of major restrictions easing, including indoor dining re-opening, an estimated 700,000 people used their Covid-19 Digital Certs to dine indoors or fly, which was just 17 per cent of the eligible population at the time. Although one in two people are happy about indoor dining returning, the stats confirm that Irish citizens are still proceeding with a certain degree of caution as the country re-opens.
While people are upbeat about the future, they are not ready to say the pandemic is over yet.
The report indicates that 59 per cent of people are optimistic Ireland will overcome the Covid-19 outbreak, a slight increase from 55 per cent last month. Core’s marketing director, Finian Murphy said it is clear that the successful vaccine rollout has increased public confidence. They are aware of trends elsewhere in Europe that point remaining patient.
Core’s report discovered the top stories Irish consumers regard as the most important.
Some 62 per cent of people said boxer Kellie Harrington’s Olympic gold medal was important for the nation; 24 per cent of people under 40 said they were happy Love Island was showing on TV and 64 per cent believed the reports of heavy rain and floods in Western Europe was a significant news story highlighting public concern about the worldwide climate crisis.
The stats reveal the nation was buoyed by sporting success in the Olympics, with 160,000 people rising early to watch Kellie Harrington’s gold medal match live and over 70 per cent of people were aware of Cork rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy’s gold medal at Tokyo 2020. The research with 1,000 adults was conducted online from August 6-12.
