Salem Coronavirus Survey: Frequent Testing, Social Health Worries

Salem MA

22 January, 2021

10:42 AM

Description

SALEM, MA — A city survey revealed most Salem residents say they are getting tested for coronavirus, wearing masks in public, and are generally pleased with how the city and the school system have handled the coronavirus health crisis, while nearly half said their families are in overall poor or fair social and emotional health amid the pandemic. The survey included 2,463 responses and was conducted from Dec. 22 through Jan. 18. It was designed to "help shape and guide the city's ongoing response to the pandemic and economic recovery." A similar survey was conducted early in the pandemic in May. "I'm very grateful to the thousands of Salem residents who took the time to share their feedback and thoughts with us as we continue to plan and implement actions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "The data from this survey is being closely reviewed by our city's COVID Response Task Force and we will develop additional strategies and approaches based on this important information." Amid the city's push to have residents tested at least twice a month, 69 percent of respondents said they have received a coronavirus test in the past four weeks. In May, only 4 percent had reported being tested. The city also said 94 percent of respondents report "always" wearing a mask indoors in public and 86 percent saying they do so outdoors. Fewer than half report doing so when they are around COVID-positive or high-risk household members in their own homes. State data shows virus spread among household members is overwhelmingly the leading cause of spread across the state. Out of the 22,877 clusters reported across the state from Dec. 20 through Jan. 16, there were 60,465 total positive cases. Of those, 22,371 clusters and 57,513 total positive cases were the results of household transmission. Child care facilities were the next highest area of spread with 131 clusters and 395 cases statewide. The survey said 73 percent of residents felt the city was doing a good or excellent job of mask enforcement and education. The social, emotional and mental effects of the nearly yearlong pandemic were concerning with 42 percent of respondents saying the overall emotional and social health of their family is currently poor or fair. The city said between 25 and 33 percent of respondents reported challenges with nervousness, anxiety, depression or feeling of isolation. The city and state got high marks for their pandemic response with 80 percent calling the city's response excellent or good, and 70 percent saying the same about the state response. A little more than 10 percent said the federal government's response has excellent or good. Those results are in line with May's responses. Did you find this article useful? Invite a friend to subscribe to Patch. Salem Public Schools, which offered the majority of its students an in-classroom, hybrid learning option as of Jan. 11 and are set to bring the remainder of high school students who want to be back in school back on Feb. 4, got strong marks in the survey as well with 72 percent saying the district is doing an excellent or good job safely providing in-school and remote learning options. With Gov. Charle Baker announcing the end of the 9:30 p.m business curfew and stay-at-home advisory, which has been in effect since November, as of Monday at 5 a.m., the survey said 79 percent of residents are more worried about the negative health impacts from opening the economy too soon. This is up slightly from 77 percent who felt that way in the May survey. An overwhelming majority of Salem respondents also plan to get the COVID vaccine when available with 88 percent saying they intend to do so, 8 percent saying they are unsure and 4 percent saying they do not intend to get the vaccine. Full survey results can be found here. (Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.) More Patch Coverage: North Shore Medical Center Chief: Vaccination Is An Obligation North Shore Restaurants Say 'Cheers' To End Of 9:30 P.M. Curfew MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: High-Risk List Shrinks By 7 MA Lifting Stay-At-Home Advisory, Early Business Closures