Six months into the Covid crisis, RTÉ commissioned B&A to carry out nationwide research into the impact Covid-19 was having on society at large. The results of the research were broadcast on RTÉ last night in a special programme, called The Next Normal, which was hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan and featured as guests, the Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, Special Envoy of WHO Director-General on Covid-19, David Nabarro, and the National Ploughing Association’s Anna May McHugh.
The nationally representative survey examined how people across the country have adapted since the start of the crisis and a focus on mental health and a desire for change in our lives were strong themes that came out in the results of the survey. According to the B&A research, 57% of people said they are “re-evaluating what they are doing with their lives” since the pandemic took hold in March. And 33% of people said their mental health has suffered in the last six months.
The results also showed that some positives came out of the lockdown with 90% of teenagers saying that they value their family life more now than before.
Looking to the future, the survey asked people would they take the first publicly available EU approved vaccine for Covid-19. 56% said they would likely take the vaccine, 32% said they would be unlikely to take the vaccine and 12% said they didn’t know.
