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Exclusive | Coronavirus: Many Hongkongers find disruption to social life toughest to handle amid curbs to contain epidemic, says survey

  • Nearly 54 per cent of survey respondents report the outbreak having substantial adverse effects on their social life
  • About 34 per cent said the negative impact on their finances was substantial

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A customer shops alone amid empty shelves at a supermarket. Photo: AFP
The crimping of their social life is what Hongkongers are finding hardest to take during the coronavirus outbreak, rather than effects on their finances or mental well-being, according to a survey commissioned by the Post.
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The poll, conducted by Chinese University’s Centre for Communication and Public Opinion Survey, also discovered that the wealthier Hong Kong residents were, the harder they found it to cope with the social isolation demanded by the times.

From March 19 to 27, the centre interviewed 847 Hong Kong residents aged 15 or above to gauge their views on how the city’s government had responded to the Covid-19 outbreak, and how the crisis had affected their finances and emotions, as well as social and daily lives.

The survey’s findings were revealed exclusively by the Post on Tuesday, as Hong Kong recorded 32 more confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, taking the city’s total to 714.
People should pay attention to any feelings of unease that lead to decreased appetite, insomnia and mood swings
Psychiatrist Ivan Mak

In terms of finances, 33.8 per cent of respondents said the negative impact that the outbreak brought to their life was substantial – either “very big” or “quite big”. Some 47.3 per cent said the negative impact was “mild”, while only 18.2 per cent said the outbreak did not adversely affect their finances at all.

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