Responding to COVID-19 in African Countries
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact societies, not only in terms of health, but also social and economic conditions and day-to-day life.
Ipsos conducted public opinion polls on behalf of the Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC), a consortium of global public health organisations and private sector firms. PERC was created in March 2020 with the objective of providing African Union Member States with real-time information and guidance to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the continent.
The polling was conducted in 18 African Union Member States to understand the public’s knowledge, risk perception, attitudes, access to information, reactions, behaviours and practices related to COVID-19.
Key findings in Tunisia:
- Support and adherence for personal Public Health and Social Measures (PHSMs): While a majority of respondents support most PHSMs, self reported adherence for personal preventive measures (such as washing hands, wearing a mask, and avoiding physical greetings) is among the lowest of all African Union (AU) Member States surveyed (66% reported adhering to all three measures compared to 86% across all Member States). Support and self reported adherence were also lower for staying at home and avoiding places of worship.
- Risk perceptions and information: Fewer than one in five Tunisian respondents believe they are at risk for contracting COVID 19 despite the growing epidemic, a lower proportion than other AU Member States surveyed. In addition, many Tunisian respondents hold misconceptions or believe rumors or myths that could undermine adherence to PHSMs.
- Essential health services: A majority of Tunisian respondents who needed medical care have reported difficulty accessing health care visits (83%) or medicines (59%) during the COVID 19 crisis.
- Economic burden and food security: Around half of respondents report having lost income and are facing difficulty accessing food. Fewer than one in five respondents report receiving additional aid from the government in the previous month.
This Executive Summary is supplemented by the Data Deck with the full set of data.