"Lowest Ever Perception of 'Risk from COVID Infection'... 'Outdoor Mask Removal Still Risky'"

Showing Differences in COVID-19 Risk Perception Based on Experience of Testing Positive

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] It was found that 4 out of 10 people think the risk of COVID-19 infection is 'serious.' More people responded that the risks outweigh the benefits regarding the removal of outdoor mask mandates.

On the 16th, a research team led by Professor Yoo Myung-soon from the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University conducted a 'COVID-19 Public Perception Survey' targeting 1,018 adult men and women from the 6th to the 8th of this month.

According to the survey, the proportion of respondents who answered that the consequences of COVID-19 infection are serious was 39.8%, the lowest since the survey began in January 2020. The percentage of respondents who believed they had a high chance of being infected with COVID-19 peaked at 32.2% in March and decreased to 20.8% in this survey.

Perceptions of infection risk also varied depending on infection history. Among 277 people who had been infected with COVID-19, 36.8% responded that the possibility of infection was high, and 33.5% said the consequences of infection were serious, showing similar rates. In contrast, among 741 people without a history of COVID-19 infection, only 14.8% believed the infection risk was high, but 42.0% thought the consequences would be serious if infected, which was higher than those previously infected.

Regarding the removal of outdoor mask mandates, 40.3% answered that the benefits and risks were similar, while the proportion of those who said 'it is still risky' was higher than those who said 'the benefits are greater.' The number of people who responded that the risks outweigh the benefits was 347, accounting for 34.0% of the total. Among them, 62.0% said that removing outdoor mask mandates could have psychologically negative effects such as neglect of quarantine measures.

21.7% (221 people) of all respondents said the benefits of removing masks outdoors were greater. Among them, 65.9% said they chose this considering positive changes in daily life, such as increased outdoor activities following the removal of the outdoor mask mandate.

Professor Yoo said, "This survey shows that COVID-19 no longer represents a significant threat to the public as it once did." Regarding the differences in responses based on infection experience, she explained, "Subjective risk judgment is influenced not only by information about the virus's hazard but also by past experiences related to the threat and the psychological outcomes left by those experiences, which aligns with existing literature."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.