58 pc citizens believe small towns, rural districts 'unprepared' to handle COVID-19: Survey

As India's daily case load becomes highest in the world, 53 per cent citizens are in favour of some sort of lockdown to contain COVID-19 spread while 58 per cent believe small towns and rural districts are "unprepared" to handle the pandemic, according to a survey by leading Community Social Media platform LocalCircles.

The survey received over 24,000 votes from 242 districts of the country. 65 per cent respondents were male while the remaining 35 per cent were women.

In response to the first question about the way forward to handle coronavirus cases as the epidemic spreads to tier 3/4 towns and rural areas as well, 53 per cent citizens in favour of some sort of lockdown to contain COVID-19 spread.

9 per cent respondents said there should be a one-month national lockdown, 10 per cent advocated for a one-month state lockdown in top COVID-19 impacted states, 25 per cent recommended a 1-month district level lockdown in top COVID-19 impacted districts while 9 per cent suggested there should be state or local lockdowns on weekends.

46 per cent said there should be no lockdown, precautions should be taken, and people should learn to live with it.

In the survey, 44 per cent respondents were from tier 1, 25 per cent from tier 2 and 31 per cent from tier 3, 4 towns and rural districts.

In another question about the capability of health infrastructure of tier 3, tier 4 towns and rural districts of India to handle the fast-spreading COVID-19, 58 per cent respondents believe they are "unprepared".

Only 5 per cent respondents said small towns and rural districts were "well prepared" to handle epidemic while 25 per cent said they were "somewhat prepared". 31 per cent participants feel that they were "quite unprepared" while 27 per cent said they were "extremely unprepared".

According to the survey, around 85 per cent citizens say if lockdowns aren't in place at national, state or local levels, they will go out for whey they deem as critical or essential works with a small percentage even going out for leisurely activities in the next 90 days.

4 per cent respondents said they will go out to malls, markets, public places like pre-COVID days and 47 per cent said they will go out only for essential needs and work. 34 per cent participants said they will go out only for critical needs and work, while 14 per cent said they will not go out at all and order products/services to come home.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday informed that India has reported 55,079 new coronavirus cases and 876 deaths.

The country's COVID-19 tally has now reached 27,02,743 cases and 51,797 deaths.

( With inputs from ANI )