Abu Dhabi to poll residents over how pandemic will change the world
Abu Dhabi residents are being urged to have their say on what life will be like once the coronavirus pandemic is over.
In a wide-ranging survey commissioned by the emirate’s Department of Community Development, residents will be asked how the pandemic has affected society and how will it alter their lives in the future.
Officials said the poll would help the authorities deliver strategies and tailor services as the nation prepares for a post-coronavirus world.
The survey will gauge public opinion on several important issues, such as mental health and well-being, social distancing, job security and education.
“The survey aims to identify the changes that might have affected different aspects of life, and specifically the social aspect,” said Dr Mona Al Bahar, an adviser at the Abu Dhabi department.
“This survey will monitor the future effects of these variables to help find an ideal approach to deal with them and reduce the future social and economic impacts, if any.
“The survey also measures everyday lifestyles and behaviours and their vulnerability to pandemic conditions.”
Residents will be asked to give their opinions on when life will return to normal after the pandemic, with possible answers including “before July” and “in a couple of years”.
People will also be asked whether they think they will able to continue to work in their current job and if they expect their pay to be affected.
The survey also asks respondents whether they prefer working at home to an office, what the main benefits of working at home are and whether they think it will be common in the post-Covid-19 age.
The subject of education is also addressed in questions about whether distance learning is “a burden” for parents that should only be imposed in the short-term.
Residents are also asked about their thoughts on how the pandemic has affected mental health, with the survey asking whether they feel afraid, lonely or depressed as a result of the outbreak.
The survey includes questions about the pandemic’s effect on people’s sleep patterns and eating habits.
Elsewhere in the survey, residents are asked if they believe social distancing practices will continue for a long time after the pandemic is over and whether the outbreak will lead to major cultural changes.
Residents are also invited to answer questions about the government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak and whether the public will be less likely to return to routine things, such as visiting friends or going to restaurants.