Coronavirus (COVID-19): shielding survey report - January 2021

Changing Behaviours

In Scotland, people were advised to stop shielding at the end of July 2020. However, the Shielding Division in Scottish Government has continued to provide support services, information and guidance.

Since July, while 34% have left their home on a daily basis, many people have chosen not to return to day-to-day activities. 20% have never visited shops, 33% have never met people outside of their household, and 84% have never been on public transport. This may be due to compliance with the guidance or personal choice. The guidance has changed multiple times since July and is different in local areas depending on current infection rates, so it’s not possible to differentiate.

We asked participants how often they had done the following activities since shielding ended in July 2020:

Left home for any reason

Never	5%
Once or twice a month	19%
Once a week	14%
A couple of times a week	28%
Daily	34%
Not relevant to me	1%
Response count	4105

Visited shops

Never	20%
Once or twice a month	30%
Once a week	27%
A couple of times a week	19%
Daily	3%
Not relevant to me	1%
Response count	4049

Met people outside of your household or extended household

Never	33%
Once or twice a month	37%
Once a week	15%
A couple of times a week	10%
Daily	6%
Not relevant to me	1%
Response count	4083

Been on public transport

Never	84%
Once or twice a month	7%
Once a week	2%
A couple of times a week	2%
Daily	2%
Not relevant to me	4%
Response count	4105

Gone to work if you can’t work from home

Never	32%
Once or twice a month	2%
Once a week	1%
A couple of times a week	6%
Daily	19%
Not relevant to me	40%
Response count	4083

Gone to school, childcare or college

Never	48%
Once or twice a month	1%
Once a week	0%
A couple of times a week	1%
Daily	3%
Not relevant to me	47%
Response count	4049

Note that based on final demographic data only 2% of participants identified as being ‘in education’. We suspect that the majority of those who answered ‘Never’ should largely be in the ‘Not relevant to me’ column.

Vaccination

At the time of issuing the survey, the COVID-19 vaccinations had begun in Scotland. We wanted to understand how people who were at high risk from coronavirus felt about the vaccine.

86% of respondents planned to get the vaccine when it was offered to them. Of the remaining responses, 11% of participants were undecided and 3% did not want the vaccine. The top three reasons people gave for being undecided about the vaccine were:

• I am worried about the side effects (62%)
• I wouldn’t be confident it had been tested on people with my health condition (52%)
• I would like to wait until others have had it first (30%)

Whether people plan to get vaccinated when it is offered to them

Yes	86%
I don’t know/haven’t decided yet	12%
No	3%
Response count	4143

Why respondents were unsure about getting the vaccine

I am worried about the side effects	62%
I wouldn’t be confident it had been tested on people with my health condition	52%
I would like to wait until others have had it first	30%
Another reason	22%
I am concerned with the ingredients used in it	19%
I don’t think the vaccine will be safe	14%
I don’t think the vaccine will be effective	10%
I don’t feel safe going into a healthcare setting to have the vaccine	10%
I feel I am protected enough by the precautions I’m already taking (e.g. washing my hands, distancing from others)	8%
I can’t be vaccinated for health reasons	7%
I don’t know	6%
I don’t trust the intentions behind wanting to vaccinate the public against coronavirus	5%
I don’t like needles/I’m frightened of needles	3%
It would be difficult to find the time/get an appointment for a vaccination	3%
I think I have already had coronavirus, so don’t need a vaccine	2%
I’m against vaccines in general	1%
No particular reason	1%
I don’t think coronavirus poses enough of a risk to me so I don’t need a vaccine	0%
Response count	474
Percentages do not add up to 100 as respondents could select multiple options

Why respondents did not want to get the vaccine

I am worried about the side effects	51%
I wouldn’t be confident it had been tested on people with my health condition	43%
I can’t be vaccinated for health reasons	25%
I would like to wait until others have had it first	24%
I don’t think the vaccine will be safe	24%
I am concerned with the ingredients used in it	23%
Another reason	23%
I don’t think the vaccine will be effective	18%
I don’t trust the intentions behind wanting to vaccinate the public against coronavirus	18%
I don’t feel safe going into a healthcare setting to have the vaccine	10%
I feel I am protected enough by the precautions I’m already taking (e.g. washing my hands, distancing from others)	8%
I’m against vaccines in general	7%
I don’t think coronavirus poses enough of a risk to me so I don’t need a vaccine	3%
I don’t like needles/I’m frightened of needles	2%
It would be difficult to find the time/get an appointment for a vaccination	2%
I don’t know	1%
I think I have already had coronavirus, so don’t need a vaccine	0%
Response count	120
Percentages do not add up to 100 as respondents could select multiple options

Festive household bubbles

At the time of issuing the survey, guidance had just been released from the Scottish Government advising that people who were at high risk could form a festive household bubble between 23 to 27 December, including being able to meet indoors. Question: Is there any particular reason why you are unsure about getting the covid-19 vaccine?

When respondents were asked if they planned to or did form a household bubble during the festive period 58% said no. It is worth noting that in the run up to the Christmas break, the rules across Scotland changed. Festive bubbles were permitted for 1 day only (25 December), and the whole country went into Level 4 restrictions from 26 December, which is likely to have impacted on peoples plans.

Planning to form festive household bubbles

Yes	42%
No	58%
Response count	4138