New Delhi, India by and large remains an optimistic nation when it comes to facing the Covid-19 threat. Nearly two thirds of Indians said they are optimistic in facing this challenge, according to the IANS C-Voter Covid Tracker's Index of Panic.
What should be a matter of reprieve for the government, the optimism is rising by the week. When asked, "When thinking about the Coronavirus here in India, which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month?", an overwhelming 62.3 per cent respondents said, "We are over the worst of it — things will begin to improve". This is according to the latest tracker. A week before, that segment had 57.5 per cent, thus marking a jump of 4.8 per cent.
Those who had said 'Cant Say' last week were 18.3 per cent. This week has seen a major drop to just 8.2 per cent.
Another interesting find the study throws is that women are more optimistic than men. 64 per cent women said they are high on optimism while that number is 60.7 per cent for men. The nett optimism rates are – 44 per cent women are optimistic overall as compared 35.3 per cent men.
Across age groups, senior citizens are more optimistic in weathering this unusual challenge of facing the coronavirus. A massive 76.3 per cent senior citizens said they are very high in their optimism that the worst is over and this too shall pass.
It's the middle aged people above the age of 45 which seem to be least optimistic. The nett optimism of senior citizens is 69.2 per cent, while that number among middle aged people and young guns is 32.8 per cent and 36.2 per cent, respectively.
However, it's the least educated who are the most positive about the current situation. 76.3 per cent of them said they are high on optimism and 69.2 per cent is their nett optimism. That far surpasses those with medium or higher education, according to the survey.
It's the middle class that seems to be most positive when it comes to the economic strata. 65.4 per cent of the middle income group respondents said they are very optimistic about the emerging situation.
Again, it's the semi-urban region that leads the pack with their optimism followed by the rural hinterlands. It's the urban clusters that appear to be least optimistic, if one goes by the tracker.
April 11 (IANS)
