Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown impact income of 85% of NCR households: NCAER survey

Incomes of almost 85% of households in the national capital region (NCR) have been impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak and the lockdown, according to a survey released by the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on Sunday.

The data showed that casual labourers were disproportionately affected with nearly 75% stating their wages were severely affected. This figure was less than half, at 46.7% for salaried employees.

The telephonic survey conducted between April 3-6, included 1,750 participants covering both rural and urban areas of Delhi NCR.


Among its key findings, the survey found that only 36.4% were able to correctly identify the three main symptoms of Covid-19, that is fever, cough and breathing difficulties.

Additionally, 6.2% of the respondents reported the common cold as a symptom of Covid-19, indicating inability to differentiate between the two. NCAER said this implies the need for more symptomatic and cluster testing in the region.

This view was reinforced by the trend that while 95% of respondents agreed that Covid-19 was highly dangerous, 65.3% did not think there was any chance of contracting the virus themselves or for any of their household members.

The survey also found that nearly a third, or 29.3% of all households were affected by a shortage of food, cooking, fuel and medical supplies.

The shortage of medical supplies is especially concerning as it could lead to further complications considering 36% of respondents reported that members of their households curtailed visiting a health facility for a medical condition owing to social distancing norms.

It also found that almost 87% of respondents supported the extension of the lockdown.

This was the first round of NCAER’s Covid-19 survey of Delhi NCR, with round two lined up for late April and another round in May.