chargement...
Months after a study carried out by the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA) in March showed that Moroccans agree with and trust the measures set by the government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, a different and new survey has showed contradicting opinions for the month of July.
The same institute conducted a similar survey to answer questions about the lockdown, the health crisis and the measures taken to avoid its spread. According to MIPA, half of the respondents said that they are not ready to for a second lockdown even if the epidemiological situation gets worse.
The same survey showed that the number of Moroccans interested in knowing about the Covid-19 situation in the country has dropped. Only 11% of those interviewed by MIPA said that they read news about the epidemiological situation in the country. In March, 48% of respondents had the same answer.
Moroccans' interest in the Covid-19 situation drops
The study relied on a quantitative research technique through the use of a self-filled online questionnaire technique. The questionnaires were filled out by the respondents during the period between July 8 and July 23, 2020, and were sent to those registered in the institute's database.
The study included a sample of 1,100 people representing the Moroccan population aged 18 years or over. The quota technique (gender, age, and geographical area) was adopted to ensure sample balance.
The institute, which is considered a non-profit institution concerned with public policies and headquartered in Rabat, stated in its recently published study that the percentage of those who do not follow any news about the spread of the virus rose from 1% in March to 14% in July 2020. The findings explain why several people have decided to neglect some of the preventive measures set up.
Two-thirds of the respondents believe that others will adhere to safety and prevention standards to coexist with the coronavirus for a longer period. Meanwhile, only 33% say that they relatively believe that Moroccan citizens will adhere to safety and prevention standards to live with the virus for a longer period, and only 2% of the respondents strongly disagree.
Regarding the measures that the government recommends to citizens, the study showed that the percentage of those who are committed to using sanitizing products does not exceed 53% of the respondents. 46% of the respondents are committed to not leaving their houses unless necessary, and 59% say that they observe physical distancing. 71% of respondents say they wear face masks and 72% wash their hands several times a day thoroughly.
The pandemic demonstrated the need to generalize health coverage to Moroccans, and according to the results of this survey, 65% of respondents said that they have health coverage while 35% do not. Among the group that does not benefit from health coverage, 76% said that they are considering obtaining health coverage in the future, and 8% said that this was not included in their future plans.
As for obtaining instructions concerning the virus, 67% of respondents confirmed that they rely on social media, while 52% said that they follow national television channels. Another 14% of respondents follow foreign TV channels for the same purposes.
42% of respondents search the Internet as a source of information regarding the pandemic, and 34% said that they follow the Ministry of Health's instructions through its data. 10% rely on family and friends and 3% on the help of doctors and pharmacists.
