Saudis among world’s most optimistic about returning to pre-Covid normal

The IPSOS and World Economic Forum survey found that, globally, almost 60 percent expect a return to pre-Covid normal within the next 12 months.

But this figure rises to 70 percent of adults in Saudi Arabia as well in Russia, India and mainland China.

Globally, 6 percent think normality has already returned while 9 percent think it will take no more than three months, 13 percent four to six months and 32 percent seven to 12 months. About one in five think it will take more than three years (10 percent) or that it will never happen (8 percent).

While 70 percent of adults in Saudi Arabia are confident their life will return to pre-Covid normal within a year, 80 percent in Japan and more than half in France, Italy, South Korea, and Spain expect it will take longer.

At a global level, expectations about how long it will take before one’s life can return to its pre-Covid normal and how long it will take for the pandemic to be contained are nearly identical.

These findings suggest that people across the world consider that being able to return to “normal” life is entirely dependent on containing the pandemic.

According to the survey, an average of 45 percent of adults globally said their mental and emotional health has gotten worse since the beginning of the pandemic about a year ago. However, one in four said their mental health has improved since the beginning of the year (23 percent), about as many that say it has worsened (27 percent).

Similar to life returning to pre-Covid normal, 58 percent on average across all countries and markets surveyed expect the pandemic to be contained within the next year, including 13 percent who think this is already the case or will happen within 3 months, 13 percent between four and six months and 32 percent between seven and 12 months.

Majorities in Saudi Arabia, India (pictured below) and China said they think the pandemic is already contained or will be within the next 6 months. In contrast, four in five in Japan and more than half in Australia, France, Poland, Spain, and Sweden expect it will take more than a year.

On average across the 30 countries and markets surveyed, 45 percent of adults said their emotional and mental health has gotten worse since the beginning of the pandemic about a year ago, three times the proportion of adults who say it has improved (16 percent)

In 11 countries, at least half reported a decline in their emotional and mental health with Turkey (61 percent), Chile (56 percent), and Hungary (56 percent) showing the largest proportions.

The survey was conducted among more than 21,000 adults under the age of 75 between February 19 and March 5.

Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.