New Delhi, March 23 (IANS): While majority of Indians have taken washing hands seriously in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, a whopping 75.5 per cent dont think that using masks would help.
To make things worse, 78.5 per cent Indians are not using hand sanitisers. The shocking revelations came from the IANS C-VOTER Gallup International Association Corona Tracker 1, an exclusive global poll on Covid-19.
As many as 75.5 per cent Indians don't find medical masks useful, while 24.5 per cent feel it helps. A worrying 92.7 per cent respondents said they aren't convinced about using hand gloves. Merely 7.3 per cent felt using gloves helped.
At a time when the government is repeatedly stressing on using hand sanitisers, 78.5 per cent respondents said that they don't find it a valid proposition. Just 21 per cent said that they are using sanitisers.
However, appeals for basic hygiene like washing hands more frequently seems to have worked. 71.5% said they are following it. Still, 28.5% of people said, they are not.
Sunday's Janata Curfew may have been a hit but a massive 72.8 per cent of the respondents still believe that staying in-house or less social interaction is not a valid idea. Even worse, 88 per cent voted against self-quarantine. But still, most agreed that they have taken precautionary steps.
Being idle at home, brains seem to be working extra hard for Indians who are spinning conspiracy theories. A total of 44.5 per cent said "a foreign power/other force is deliberately causing the spread of coronavirus." When asked who they think are behind it, 75.1 per cent blamed China.
Meanwhile, at a time when the government has forced virtual lockdowns and trains, metros have stopped plying, the poll has thrown some very interesting results. As many as 71.5 per cent strongly agreed to the fact that they are willing to sacrifice some of their human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the virus.
The sample size for the poll was 1,421. The field work was done on March 17 and March 18.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India has reached 415, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Eight people have succumbed to the virus till now.