- The latest survey by the “Swiss Corona Stress Study” by the University of Basel shows that the psychological stress in the pandemic is still high.
- When it comes to stress factors, however, there are large differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
- Over 11,100 people from all over Switzerland took part in the non-representative survey.
Unvaccinated people perceive the certificate requirement as burdensome, while the majority of vaccinated people consider it to be a burden. Vaccinated people, on the other hand, are more concerned about the health consequences of Covid-19. This is the result of the fourth survey carried out by the University of Basel as part of the “Swiss Corona Stress Study”.
So 44.2 percent of the vaccinated respondents stated that they were very or very afraid that someone from the closest environment could become seriously ill, as in one of them Message of the University of Basel is called.
The fear of infection of their children is also much more pronounced among vaccinated parents than among unvaccinated parents. Of those surveyed with their own children between the ages of 4 and 11 (a total of 2079 people), only 17 percent of the vaccinated parents were not afraid that their child would be infected with the coronavirus. In the case of unvaccinated parents, it is 68 percent.
Lots of conflicts over vaccination
The burden of conflicts in the family, among friends or at work because of the corona measures or the vaccination is high in both groups. In the unvaccinated, however, significantly higher, as the study further shows.
With regard to the compulsory certificate, 73 percent of the unvaccinated stated that it was “very stressful” for them. Around every third vaccinated person, on the other hand, felt a great deal of relief that goes hand in hand with the proof, 17 percent of them were neutral about the certificate requirement.
Increase in depressive symptoms
The proportion of respondents with severe depressive symptoms has reached a new high: while it was nine percent in the spring of 2020 and 18 percent during the second wave last autumn, 19 percent of the study participants now report symptoms.
The message says that young people and people with financial worries are still the most affected.
At the same time, the researchers are observing increased consumption of sedatives and sleeping pills in the wake of the pandemic. Of the 3,544 people who swallowed such drugs, 53.6 percent reported an increase and 42.9 percent a decrease. Similar patterns can be seen with nicotine, alcohol or cannabis use.