Virus has led to epidemic of fear, loneliness, and worry
THE coronavirus lockdown has cut a swathe through businesses and jobs, with more than a million people now depending on the State for at least part of their wages, and it has also produced an epidemic of worry, loneliness and fear, according a study by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The survey was carried out in the first three weeks of April and showed women and older people had been hit hardest by the lockdown, although men were marginally more concerned by money worries.
“Females are experiencing loneliness and fear to go shopping more than men, with 27pc of females feeling lonely and almost a third of females saying they are afraid to go shopping,” said the survey, published yesterday, which covered 2,288 people.
“The oldest age group (65plus) are experiencing the most loneliness and fears around shopping”, with 30pc saying they are lonely and 41pc saying they are afraid to go shopping.
More than a quarter of 15-24-year-olds said they were now lonely, the survey showed, the second highest share of any demographic.
Just under half of the labour force have seen their working lives change dramatically as a result of the lockdown, ranging from job losses to parttime and home working, with a third of workers saying they had been temporarily laid off while 14pc had lost their jobs.
The survey showed more men than women were subject to temporary lay-offs and the 15-24 age group had been hardest hit, with 46pc furloughed on a temporary basis and more than a fifth losing their jobs altogether.
Despite widespread job losses and the risk that many companies in sectors of the economy such as restaurants, bars and tourism may not survive until the lockdown restrictions end, almost all of those whose jobs had been affected said they expected to return to their employers.
The CSO said “94pc of the population aged 15 years and over, whose employment situation was affected by Covid-19 in that they lost their employment, were temporarily laid off, are on paid leave or unpaid leave, expect to return to the same job after the lifting of restrictions.
“A small percentage, 5pc, do not expect to return to the same job. In general, older people are more confident of returning to their same job, but all age groups report high levels here.”
That optimism may be misplaced as the Government expects unemployment to remain at high levels even when the pandemic has passed and is forecasting the jobless rate will still be 10pc next year.