Survey: Only 17.2 percent Trust Government to Manage Coronavirus Pandemic

Bratislava, June 8 (TASR) – Only a total of 17.2 percent of people trust the Government to manage the novel coronavirus pandemic, while the figure stood at 56.2 percent at the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020, according to a ‘How Are You, Slovakia?’ survey carried out by the Slovak Academy of Science’s (SAV) Institute of Sociology, MNFORCE agency and Seesame communications agency on a sample of 1,000 respondents in mid-May.

“We already know from previous research that respondents who don’t trust the Government are less willing to observe epidemiological measures. It’s very similar with willingness to be vaccinated, which is also related to confidence in science and health care,” emphasised Robert Klobucky from the SAV Institute of Sociology.

The survey also showed that confidence in health care and in scientific institutions in Slovakia is at a very similar level and has stabilised since September 2020, even showing a slight increase. In May, 50.8 percent of the people polled expressed confidence in health care, while 47.8 percent trusted scientific institutions in Slovakia.

The survey revealed that respondents who have more confidence in the Slovak Government’s ability to manage the epidemic are more willing to be vaccinated. Conversely, up to two thirds of the respondents who don’t trust the Government at all don’t intend to be vaccinated or are hesitating.

Respondents consider their doctor (51.7 percent) and scientists (43.5 percent) to be the most credible source of information about COVID-19 vaccination. “Respondents consider information from the internet and social networks (11.7 percent), famous personalities (14 percent), the Slovak Government (14.6 percent) and national TV channels and newspapers (17.1 percent) to be less reliable,” they added.