Only 30% Indians say there is mask compliance, 56% say social distancing not followed: Survey

The survey notes that social events are back in Tier 2, 3 & 4 towns and rural areas after reduction in Covid cases, and many people have stopped wearing mask.

A cyclist rides past a mural honouring Covid warriors, in New Delhi | PTI

New Delhi: Only 30 per cent of Indians believe there is mask compliance in their city, district or area they live in while only 12 per cent say social distancing norms are followed, according to a recent survey.

The findings of the Local Circles survey titled ‘India becoming complacent against COVID-19’, which was released Wednesday, were based on 8,321 responses across 238 districts in India.

This comes as states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Punjab have witnessed a spike in Covid-19 cases over the past week. A meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office Tuesday to review the surge of infections and the detection of virus mutations in some states.

Though India saw a decline in its coronavirus active case count Tuesday, more than 10,000 new infections were detected from across the country in the last 24 hours, with Maharashtra accounting for nearly half of the cases and stirring fears of a second lockdown.

Sixty eight per cent of respondents in the survey were men while 32 per cent were women, while 51 per cent of all respondents were from Tier 1 locations, 28 per cent from Tier 2 and 21 per cent from Tier 3, 4 and rural districts.

The survey noted that social events are back in Tier 2, 3 & 4 towns and rural areas after reduction in cases, and many people have “dropped the idea of wearing a mask”. It also said compliance levels are relatively higher in metros and tier 1 & 2 districts than in Tier 3, 4 and rural districts.

Only 12% say social distancing is followed

According to the survey, while 30 per cent said mask compliance in their city or district was ‘good’ or ‘effective’, 51 per cent said there was limited compliance and 18 per cent said there was no compliance at all. On social distancing norms, 12 per cent said there is compliance, while 31 per cent said compliance was limited and 56 per cent said there was no compliance at all.

A geographical analysis of the response found that 35 per cent of the respondents in Tier 1 locations felt mask compliance was ‘good’ or ‘effective’, compared to 29 per cent in Tier 2 locations and 19 per cent in Tier 3, 4, and rural locations who had the same response.

Similarly, 15 per cent of respondents in Tier 1 locations said the compliance to social distancing norms was ‘good’ or ‘effective’, compared to 10 per cent in Tier 2 locations and 7.5 per cent in Tier 3, 4, and rural locations who had the same response.