The Social Impact of COVID-19 surveys were undertaken to measure the impact COVID-19 has had on Irish society in 2020. The results presented from these surveys have been weighted to best reflect the population. Due to time and resource constraints, there were limitations on the sample size and selection methodology. Consequently, caution must be exercised when making inferences to the entire population from these results. Nonetheless, this data provides a valuable insight into the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of many people in Ireland.
Where available, personal satisfaction and well-being data collected in the Social Impact of COVID-19 survey is compared to data collected through the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) in 2013 and 2018. While the methodologies of the two surveys differ, the corresponding results from SILC are included to provide some context to the results presented.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey April 2020
| X-axis label | 2013 | 2018 | April 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Being very nervous | 21.1 | 18.2 | 35.5 |
| Feeling downhearted or depressed | 21.3 | 13.4 | 32.4 |
| Feeling lonely1 | 16.9 | 26.6 |
1 Not collected in 2013.
| X-axis label | 2013 | 2018 | April 2020 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall life satisfaction | 31.4 | 44.3 | 12.2 | 16.3 |
| Satisfaction with financial situation | 12.9 | 28 | 25.8 | 25.4 |
| Satisfaction with personal relationships | 60.2 | 60 | 42.4 | 43.1 |
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 August 2020: The Reopening of Schools
Respondents of the Social Impact of COVID-19 survey were all aged 18 years and over, with over four in five (80.6%) respondents stating they consume alcohol. Of these, 22.2% said that their alcohol consumption had Increased since the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions, 17.2% said their consumption had Decreased.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey April 2020
| Table 30.1 Increase/Decrease in Behaviour since the Implementation of COVID-19 Restrictions, April 2020 | ||
| % change | ||
| Increased | Decreased | |
| Alcohol Consumption | 22.2 | 17.2 |
| Tobacco Consumption | 30.5 | 8.6 |
| Junk Food and Sweets Consumption | 45.4 | 12.3 |
| Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Consumption | 27.3 | 12.4 |
| Frequency of Exercise | 37.1 | 33.2 |
| Time Spent Watching TV | 44.3 | 9.2 |
| Time Spent on the Internet | 59.1 | 2.8 |
| Source: CSO | ||
Results from the first Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey conducted in April may provide some context for weight change reported in June. In April, 45.4% of respondents reported an increase in their junk food and sweets consumption, while 37.1% reported an increase in frequency of exercise.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey June 2020: A Snapshot of Experiences and Expectations in a Pandemic
| X-axis label | Increased | Decreased | No change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Respondents | 40.9 | 13.7 | 45.4 |
| Male | 34.8 | 17 | 48.3 |
| Female | 46.8 | 10.6 | 42.6 |
Savings was the most commonly reported way respondents intended to use some additional money, with 51.1% of respondents reporting they have or will put all or some of this money aside. Home improvements and furnishings (46.9%) was the second most popular, followed by Garden improvements and furnishings (36.3%).
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey June 2020: A Snapshot of Experiences and Expectations in a Pandemic
| X-axis label | Spending/Intention of Spending with Additional Available Money |
|---|---|
| Savings | 51.1 |
| Home Improvements and Furnishings | 46.9 |
| Garden Improvements and Furnishings | 36.3 |
| Future Holidays | 26.3 |
| Clothing | 21.4 |
| Debt Reduction | 16.6 |
| Recreational Goods | 9.5 |
| Motor Vehicles | 8.3 |
| Other | 8.4 |
Respondents expressed less concern with going to a restaurant compared to a pub, with 28.7% indicating they would be Very Uncomfortable with one metre social distancing and 12.9% with two metres social distancing.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey June 2020: Measuring Comfort Levels around the Easing of Restrictions
| Table 30.2 Comfort Levels Around the Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions, June 2020 | |||||
| Level of comfort/discomfort % | |||||
| Activity type | Very Uncomfortable | Uncomfortable | Neither Comfortable nor Uncomfortable | Comfortable | Very Comfortable |
| Going to Pubs and Restaurant with Social Distancing | |||||
| Pub /Bar - 2 metres | 21.3 | 36.0 | 15.1 | 20.6 | 7.0 |
| Pub/Bar - 1 metre | 39.5 | 27.1 | 11.7 | 16.7 | 5.0 |
| Restaurant - 2 metres | 12.9 | 28.5 | 17.6 | 32.5 | 8.4 |
| Restaurant - 1 metre | 28.7 | 27.1 | 13.4 | 24.2 | 6.5 |
| Attending Outdoor Events and Religious Services | |||||
| Outdoor Events with a Large Crowd - no social distancing | 49.4 | 32.6 | 9.1 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Place of Worship for a Religious Service - social distancing rules | 18.1 | 29.5 | 15.1 | 31.3 | 5.9 |
| Going to Hairdressers & Shopping Centres | |||||
| Hairdresser/Barber | 14.6 | 26.4 | 17.7 | 31.5 | 9.9 |
| Shopping Centre | 8.5 | 29.0 | 22.2 | 33.4 | 7.0 |
| Children’s Activities and Household Gatherings | |||||
| Allowing your Child Participate in Sports - with close physical contact | 19.0 | 35.6 | 12.8 | 27.6 | 5.0 |
| Sending your Child to Childcare/Creche | 24.6 | 32.4 | 15.6 | 19.7 | 7.6 |
| Having 6 Visitors to your Home for an Indoor Social Gathering | 12.8 | 24.2 | 17.0 | 34.3 | 11.7 |
| Attending Healthcare Appointments | |||||
| GP | 2.6 | 15.9 | 18.9 | 46.5 | 16.1 |
| Hospital | 9.2 | 24.4 | 16.6 | 38.4 | 11.4 |
| Dentist | 9.1 | 24.0 | 18.5 | 37.7 | 10.7 |
| Transport and Travel | |||||
| Public Transport - subject to social distancing rules | 27.8 | 35.5 | 12.6 | 20.5 | 3.7 |
| Domestic Trip with Hotel Accommodation | 13.6 | 25.1 | 16.2 | 33.4 | 11.7 |
| International Trip by Plane | 45.5 | 32.5 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 4.1 |
| International Trip by Ferry | 31.0 | 32.3 | 14.9 | 16.5 | 5.2 |
| Source: CSO | |||||
In August 2020, 75.4% of respondents rated their compliance with current government advice and guidelines as High compared to six in ten (59.9%) in June when the country was just about to enter Phase 3 of the Roadmap for reopening society and eight in ten (80.6%) in April approximately a month after restrictions were first introduced.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 August 2020: The Reopening of Schools
| X-axis label | High | Medium | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2020 | 75.4 | 22.5 | 2.1 |
| June 2020 | 59.9 | 36.2 | 3.9 |
| April 2020 | 80.6 | 18.4 | 0.9 |
The enforced closure of schools in March 2020 brought about significant changes to the lives of school children in Ireland over the period from March to June. Children’s learning, social development and time spent learning were impacted with children undertaking learning at home and interacting with their teachers and class mates in different ways.
Link to release: Social Impact of COVID-19 August 2020: The Reopening of Schools
| X-axis label | Learning - Primary students | Social Development - Primary students | Learning - Secondary students | Social Development - Secondary students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major or Moderate negative impact | 40.7 | 42.2 | 45.7 | 43.2 |
| X-axis label | 5 or more hours | 4 hours | 3 hours | 2 hours | 1 or less hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Primary | 2.9 | 8 | 22.6 | 41.6 | 25 |
| Junior Primary | 3.5 | 2.4 | 12.1 | 36.6 | 45.4 |
| Senior Primary | 2.7 | 11 | 27.6 | 43.1 | 15.6 |
| X-axis label | 5 or more hours | 4 hours | 3 hours | 2 hours | 1 or less hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Secondary | 29.9 | 9.5 | 19.3 | 24.4 | 16.9 |
| Junior Secondary | 36 | 9.8 | 23.9 | 22.1 | 8.3 |
| Transition Year | 2.6 | 9.6 | 5 | 38.3 | 44.4 |
| Senior Secondary 1 | 45.7 | 8.3 | 22.1 | 13.2 | 10.7 |
1Senior cycle secondary students refer to 5th year in the academic year 2019/20, as data was not collected on sixth year students for this period.
| X-axis label | Secondary | Primary |
|---|---|---|
| Catching or Spreading COVID-19 | 46.3 | 33.9 |
| Social Distancing Rules In School | 40.1 | 24.7 |
| Having Fallen Behind Because Of Lockdown 1 | 36.2 | 0 |
| Reconnecting With Class Mates | 28 | 23.5 |
| Other Worries | 23 | 11.7 |
| Leaving The Home | 8.1 | 17.4 |
1Not asked of parents/guardians of primary children.
| X-axis label | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Could Work From Home | 32.8 | 31.74 |
| Don't Know | 21.4 | 29.1 |
| Take Holidays/Unpaid Leave | 20.8 | 20.6 |
| May Have To Give Up Work | 3.9 | 16.9 |
| No Effect | 27.3 | 12.4 |
Go to next chapter >>> Employment and Life Effects & Internet Usage by Households
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