Preventing the Spread of Germs During and Post the COVID-19 Outbreak
As the incidences of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the U.S. and around the world, the measures in place to prevent the spread of this illness—and observation of these measures—is more important than ever. Are Americans doing enough to protect themselves and the community?
To explore this topic further, we commissioned a survey of 1,500 U.S. adults. This nationwide survey was conducted by Lucid from April 13-15, 2020.
Overall, opinions around the observation of social distancing recommendations are strong, as Americans do not believe it’s acceptable to leave home for the following purposes:
- Visit a friend’s home: 80%
- Attend a religious service: 77%
- Visit a public outdoor space: 66%
- Drive by someone’s home to visit them: 63%
- Visit a family member’s home: 62%
Furthermore, going to essential places with small children (59%), without a face covering (45%), and without protective gloves (38%) are similarly considered a no-no for the time being.
Though self-reported, 71% say they’ve upheld the recommendations themselves, with more than half (51%) saying they have negatively judged the activities of an acquaintance who may have bent the rules.
Given the high standards to which others are being held, Americans at large are taking germ prevention seriously, with nearly all respondents (97%) maintaining that they have personally taken the proper measures to prevent the spread of germs during the outbreak. In terms of the specific measures being taken, regular hand washing (98%), social distancing (96%), and limiting outings unless essential (93%) rise to the top.
Where mobile devices are concerned, 71% of Americans are routinely disinfecting their devices, while 72% say they wash their hands after each prolonged period of handling their phone.
“Given the prevention of germs is so top of mind for the majority of us at this unprecedented time, it’s paramount for Americans to be taking all steps, and then a few more, to do what we can as a community to stop the spread of this fast-moving illness. Aside from following the guidelines set forth by the CDC, we also hope our products can help users prevent the spread of germs and provide peace of mind when cleaning their devices and products around the home with our UV-C technology, which kills 99.99% of germs.” - Dan Barnes, PhoneSoap Co-founder
Despite all precautions taken, 19% of Americans believe they were infected with COVID-19 at some point, despite lack of diagnosis.
These recommendations don’t (or shouldn’t) apply only to everyday citizens, either, with 90% of Americans agreeing that the Trump administration should employ social distancing practices in daily press briefings, and that President Trump himself should be wearing a face mask to these briefings (65%).
So, how does social interaction look post-COVID-19 outbreak? Interestingly, Americans’ plans to scale down all physical social greetings with others, including: kisses to the face (68%), handshakes (66%), and hugs (62%). Perhaps air hugs, kisses, and high fives will be a thing after all.
