Just 41% of people are now ‘very worried’ about Covid – lowest proportion since pandemic began

Britain’s fears around Covid have fallen to their lowest level since the start of the pandemic, official data showed today.

A survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed just 41 per cent of adults were ‘very worried’ by the virus in mid-February.

The figure was less than half the proportion that were terrified by Covid at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 (86 per cent). 

It had been falling since January 22, when the Omicron wave started to subside. 

Since then, infections, hospitalisations and deaths had all been falling consistently until this week, with Boris Johnson dropping all restrictions on February 24. 

Britain’s daily Covid cases rose for the second day in a row yesterday amid signs the country’s outbreak is no longer shrinking.

Government dashboard data showed 45,656 infections were logged yesterday, up 17 per cent on the tally last Thursday.  

ONS data showed there was a continuing decline in the percentage of people working from home last week, with 15 per cent working remotely from February 16 to 27 compared with 26 per cent over the period January 6 to 16. There was also an increase in the percentage travelling to work: 56 per cent compared with 51 per cent over the same period

The survey showed the use of face coverings in shops and on public transport decreased compared to the previous week

Statisticians surveyed 3,000 people in Britain from from February 16 to 27 — with all restrictions ending on February 24.

They showed the use of face coverings in shops and on public transport decreased compared to the previous week.

Some 71 per cent said they always or often wore face coverings while in shops, down from 77 per cent from February 3 to 13.

And 70 per cent reporting wearing a face covering throughout the journey on public transport, down from 78 per cent in the previous period.

Almost one-third (32 per cent) of adults reported always or often maintaining social distancing, down from 35 per cent.

This is the lowest proportion of adults reporting maintaining social distancing since data collection on this measure started in September 2020.

Around 4 in 10 (42 per cent) adults said they had taken a rapid lateral flow test in the past seven days, decreasing from 49 per cent. 

The percentage of people working from home last week also continued to fall, with 15 per cent working remotely compared with 26 per cent from January 6 to 16. 

There was an increase in the percentage travelling to work: 56 per cent compared with 51 per cent over the same period.

Mr Johnson ended guidance to work from home where possible in England in January.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been moving slower towards dropping the same rules.

But a third of employees who previously worked in offices said they had not returned in almost two years following the March 2020 lockdown, according to research for insurance brokerage Gallagher.