Who supports and trusts the COVID-19 policy

Confidence lockdown will work:

72% of New Zealand adults are confident that COVID-19 can be contained, and widespread community transmission prevented.

They were asked in an April 7-12, 2020, HorizonPoll to rate their confidence on a 0 to 10 scale, where 0 = “Not confident at all” and 10 = “Very confident”.

72% give a 6+ rating; 46% a rating of 8 out of 10 or more.

26% rate their confidence at 5 or less, with 4% saying they are not confident at all.

Trust Ministry of Health and Government to manage in the best way:

Horizon asked: “At this time, how much do you trust the Ministry of Health and Government to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in a way which best protects you and other New Zealanders?”

88% trust the threat will be managed in the best way (33% totally, 40% mostly, 15% somewhat trust).

13% are distrustful (3% totally) while 1% are not sure.

Compliance:

Amid comment that the lockdown was too severe and growing calls for the economy to be re-opening quickly, between April 7 and 12, 95% of adults were complying with the lockdown restrictions.

Another 4% of respondents were essential workers – leaving just 1% (around 39,500 adults) saying they were definitely not complying.

Coping:

In March, on the first days of the lockdown, 75% thought they, their household and families would cope well with the lockdown.  In April, after 2 weeks of the lockdown, 95% said they, their household and families were coping well with the lockdown (48% very well).

However, in the latest survey, 7% were not coping well – which equates to about 237,300 adults (2% not well at all: 61,100 adults).

The survey was conducted among members of Horizon Research’s nationwide specialist HorizonPoll online research panel between April 7 and 12 (mostly between April 7 and 9). There were 1,267 respondents aged 18+. The survey sample is weighted by age, gender, employment status, educational level and personal income to ensure a representative sample of the adult population at the 2018 census. At a 95% confidence level, the maximum margin of error is +/- 2.8%.

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For further information please contact:

Graeme Colman, Principal, Horizon Research, email gcolman@horizonresearch.co,nz, telephone 021 848 576, or Grant McInman, Manager, Horizon Research, email gmcinan@horizonresearch.conz, telephone 021 076 2040.