[:en]Download the graphical presentation: ENG_23.03.20 Report INSCOP COVID-19 epidemic Part 3
Part 3: the compliance with the measures imposed by the state of emergency, the attitude towards the authorities’ measures to fight the coronavirus epidemic, helping Romanians returning from other countries, confidence in professional groups, and institutions.
The overwhelming majority of Romanians support the measures taken by the authorities to limit the spread of the new virus and to counter the negative effects on the economy, according to the latest INSCOP Research survey, “The public perception of the COVID -19 epidemic in Romania”, conducted in partnership with Verifield and the daily newspaper Adevărul, between March 16-19, 2020.
Willingness to comply with the measures imposed by the state of emergency
Starting from Monday, 16th March 2020, the state of emergency was declared in Romania; the respondents were asked if they intend to comply with the measures taken by the authorities during this period. 98.3% answered yes and only 1.4% no. 0.3% do not know or do not answer.
Remus Ștefureac, CEO of INSCOP Research: ”The results of the opinion poll show that the vast majority of Romanians, manifest, at least at the level of statements, a rational attitude, accepting the measures taken by the authorities to limit the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, against both national and global climate of uncertainty and vulnerability. The high share of those who declare that they intend to comply with the measures taken during the country’s state of emergency (98%) reveals the deep fears emerging in society. At the same time, it shows that the population comprehends the gravity of the situation, as well as the fact that the state’s institutional mechanisms of action in exceptional crises begin to produce, at this point, the effect for which they were provided for in the country’s Constitution and laws. On the other hand, we certainly cannot exclude the dissonance that sometimes arises between what people say and their actual behavior. Therefore, it is essential that the statements of the respondents captured by the opinion poll to be properly and rigorously sustained by actions. However, the overwhelming percentage of the population who say they agree with the authorities’ measures shows that a large part of Romanians reacts as it should in this unprecedented crisis. Those who do not follow the recommendations of the authorities to isolate themselves, thus adopting deviant behaviors from the general rule, become a major source of risk for their communities.
Leaving aside the individual deviant behaviors that nevertheless represent a minority concerning the large population of Romania, the data from the study show that, in the current crisis, collective behavior is rather prudent. We have a relatively cohesive society that, to a large extent, seems to respond rationally to the measures taken by the authorities. The sooner the whole society will understand the importance of compliance with the authorities’ measures, the sooner we will achieve the social discipline. At the point, this is the main weapon we have at our disposal to fight the coronavirus epidemic efficiently.
The public support for the measures taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus epidemic
92.6% of Romanians agree with the general measures taken by the authorities to limit the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Only 5.4% disagree with these measures, while 1.9% do not know or do not respond.
96.3% of the total respondents agree with school, kindergarten, and university closures. 2.9% do not agree with the measure, while the percentage of non-answers is 0.8%.
The strict control of the population entering Romania from other countries is supported by 92.2% of the respondents. 5.8% of those interviewed disagree with this measure, while 1.9% do not know or do not answer.
92.8% of the respondents agree with the criminal penalties applied to citizens who do not comply with the isolation/quarantine measures. 5.9% disagree with this measure, while 1.4% do not know or do not answer.
Remus Ștefureac, CEO of INSCOP Research: „The population massively supports the main restrictive measures taken so far by the authorities in percentages of 90-95%. The fact that a similar percentage also supports the criminal sanction of those who do not comply with the measures taken by the authorities amplifies the Romanians’ approval of the measures aimed to limit the epidemic. The data on the attitude towards the measures taken by the authorities are relatively similar to those from opinion polls conducted in other countries affected by the COVID-19, such as Italy, for example, where over 90% of the population supports the measures taken by the authorities to limit the epidemic. ”
Helping Romanians returning home from other countries
Helping Romanians returning home from other countries during this period meets the agreement of 75.6% of Romanians, 20.7% expressing their disagreement. 3.6% is the percentage of non-responses.
Remus Ștefureac, CEO of INSCOP Research: „A large part of the population views the long-debated issue of the influx of Romanians who are returning to the country from abroad in a key of solidarity. The fact that three-quarters of the respondents agree with helping Romanians returning home from other countries during this period shows a high level of social cohesion, especially given the indignation sparked by the media coverage of cases of infected persons from the diaspora who did not respect the quarantine. On the other hand, the 20% who do not agree with the help of Romanians from the diaspora stress the need to increase the responsibility of the people who have returned from countries strongly affected by the epidemic to protect themselves and those around them”.
Confidence in professions that are most exposed to risks in the fight against COVID-19
Against the background of the coronavirus outbreak and the efforts to limit and control it, respondents were asked how much confidence they have in various professions that are most exposed to risks during this period. The highest confidence is enjoyed by firefighters, doctors, and nurses, with 92.6% high and very high confidence, respectively 90.4% high and very high confidence. The military is next with 88.7% high and very high confidence, pharmacists with 86.8% and the police with 72.4%. The grocery store workers are credited with high and very high confidence by 59.4% of the respondents.
Remus Ștefureac, CEO of INSCOP Research: “During this period of exceptional crisis, and of vulnerability, the level of public trust in the professions most exposed to risks is high. Doctors and nurses, pharmacists, firefighters, military, and police officers enjoy record levels of public confidence, which highlights the population’s deep fears, as well as the people’s need to relate to benchmarks of stability and professionalism that are at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus epidemic. Even grocery store workers enjoy a very high level of confidence of about 60%”.
Confidence in institutions
All the institutions measured in the poll enjoy significantly higher levels of public confidence than usual. The Army is the most trusted institution. 88.2% of respondents say that they have high and very high confidence in this institution. The Ministry of Health enjoys the confidence of 77.5% of Romanians, not surprising amid a health crisis. The Police enjoy the high and very high confidence of 72.1% of the total respondents, the European Union (62.1%), the Presidency (55.7%), the Town Hall (55.4%), the Government (43.3%) and the Parliament (39.1%).
Remus Ștefureac, CEO of INSCOP Research: „There is a significant increase in the level of confidence in public institutions. In a situation of crisis, insecurity, and uncertainty and against the background of the state of emergency, the increase in confidence in institutions is understandable. The population needs some benchmarks of stability and functionality of the state. For this reason, people tend to trust the most relevant public authorities in larger proportions than they usually do. High levels of confidence are recorded by the Army, the Ministry of Health, the Police or the Presidency. For example, The Army, with over 85% high and very high confidence, reaches a level of trust similar to that in the ’90s, after fluctuating around 65% in recent years. Compared to the figures from the survey conducted last year, in March 2019, by INSCOP Research at the request of Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Police gains over 25 percent, the Presidency over 15 percent, and the Government almost 30 percent (in the case of the Government, a year ago the political structure was different). Even the Parliament has a level of confidence that it has not had since the 1990s. A year ago, the INSCOP survey showed that public confidence in the Parliament (11%) was more than three times lower than it is today. The European Union maintains a high level of confidence, gaining about 10 percent compared to the last year’s INSCOP survey. Although there are differences between the two surveys regarding the method of data collection (face-to-face in 2019, CATI in 2020), the figures can be compared.
All these developments are the result of an exceptional crisis. People are worried, they need assurances, and they are looking for benchmarks that they generously invest with confidence. The response to this fundamental crisis faced by our generation will weigh heavily on the way the social contract between the Romanian state and its citizens will be rewritten in the context in which, during the three decades of the democratic regime, this relationship has constantly deteriorated. In this regard, both the state institutions and the citizens have major responsibilities. The institutions should issue clear and proper rules of social behavior and ensure their rigorous enforcement using all possible legitimate instruments, and citizens must comply, without exception. Only in this way can we hope to overcome this crisis in a short time. Otherwise, without this cooperation between the state and the citizen, the consequences on our lives, with all that entails for the public health, economy, jobs, incomes, and, ultimately, life expectancy, could be dramatic”.
The survey was conducted between March 16-19, 2020, by INSCOP Research in partnership with Verifield and the daily newspaper Adevărul. The data was collected using CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing). The volume of the multi-layered and multistage sample was 800 persons, representative for the non-institutionalized population of Romania, aged 18 and over, taking into account significant socio-demographic categories such as sex, age, occupation. The maximum permissible error of the data is ±3.5%, at a confidence level of 95%.
Download the graphical presentation: ENG_23.03.20 Report INSCOP COVID-19 epidemic Part 3[:]