Fewer Australians are taking precautions against the spread of Covid-19, according to a new study, despite new infections peaking worldwide.
According to global databases, Australia has been leading New Zealand, Germany, Italy, France, the US, the UK, and Canada for new daily Covid cases per capita since Saturday.
More Australians reported family members returning positive Covid tests in April, according to ABS’ latest Household Impacts of Covid-19 Survey released Tuesday.
Despite the rebound, Australians were less likely to take Covid precautions from April than in February.
Camera IconMore Australians said their family members had returned positive tests in April. John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia
The survey, conducted in April, found that 62 percent of households had a Covid test in the four weeks before the study, up from 46 percent in March 2022.
Of those in households where someone had a test, 23 percent reported that one or more family members had tested positive in April, up from 14 percent in March.
But only 78 percent of Australians in April said they had worn a face mask the week before, up from 98 percent in February.
Ninety-two percent washed their hands or used hand sanitizer regularly in the week before the survey, compared to 95 percent in February.
Fewer people also took physical distance from others: 75 percent persisted in the practice, compared with 85 percent in February, said ABS Head of Household Surveys, David Zago.
Camera IconAussies took fewer Covid precautions, the survey said. NCA NewsWire/David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia
While the disease is less deadly than it was at the start of the pandemic thanks to high vaccination rates, exhaustion may be why we were less cautious, science writer Jane McCredie wrote Monday in the Medical Journal of Australia’s Insight newsletter.
“After two years at a high level, plunging ourselves in and out of isolation, staring at every stranger’s cough and disinfecting our hands like there’s no tomorrow, we just don’t have the energy anymore,” said Ms. McCredie.
But the silence during the federal election campaign over the biggest test to the country’s health system was the “very obvious elephant in the room.”
“By the end of December 2021, just over 400,000 Australians had contracted the disease, with a cumulative total now exceeding 6.45 million,” said Ms. McCredie.
“At a time when Australia is vying for the top spot in the list of countries with the newest Covid cases per capita, we have virtually stopped talking about the greatest challenge our health system has ever faced,”
The survey found that camera IconAussies are still shy about attending social gatherings. NCA NewsWire/Ian Currie Credit: News Corp Australia
The ABS survey found that Aussies were more likely to use public transport at least once a week compared to February.
But workers continued to avoid the office, with nearly twice as many employees working from home one or more times a week in April.
Forty-six percent worked from home, compared to 24 percent before Covid restrictions were introduced in March 2020.
Involvement in sports and social gatherings has yet to return to pre-Covid levels.
Fewer people (29 percent) moved to a gym or exercised in April compared to March 2020, compared to 38 percent.
They were also less likely to attend social gatherings, at 20 percent in April 2022, up from 27 percent before March 2020.
The ABS telephone survey of 2,094 adults ran from April 19 to 28.
