For Immediate Release May 13, 2020, Honolulu, HI: A significant majority of residents believe that the Hawai‘i government’s response to COVID-19 is going in the right direction (64%), based on a survey just completed by SMS Research & Marketing Services Inc (SMS). Forty-nine percent of adults believe that the situation is slowly getting better.
SMS conducted this study to provide decision makers throughout the community a
way to understand how residents are thinking and feeling about the COVID-19
situation we are all in together. "There have been surveys with
businesses, but we felt it was important to hear how our residents were feeling
and how likely they will be to venture out as businesses reopen" said
Hersh Singer, SMS Chairman. "Based on the survey results, many adults in
Hawai‘i will be taking a "wait and see" approach to venturing out to
businesses when they reopen. "SMS plans to undertake conduct similar
future surveys to provide insights on how the community’s attitudes and concern
change over time.
The policies that more adults would like to change immediately include opening
beaches and parks to unlimited activity (37%) and opening businesses (31%). The
majority of adults would like the following policies to stay in place for two
months or longer: keep social distancing of six feet (65%), discourage tourists
from coming (61%), no large group gatherings (61%), no team sports (60%) and
keep schools/universities closed (54%).
When hair salons/barbershops open, 37 percent of adults say they would visit
them immediately. Adults will take a "wait and see" attitude to
visiting sit-down restaurants (75%), shopping centers (69%), movie
theaters/plays (67%) and even large sporting events open to the public (61%).
Other highlights of the survey include:
The SMS Community Pulse Survey was conducted from May 5th through May 10th
statewide through a panel of Hawai‘i respondents. A total of 402 surveys were
completed. A probability sample of this size would have a sampling error
estimate of +/-4.8 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Data
was balanced to reflect the adult population of the state using the 2018 U.S
Census Data. SMS plans to conduct this survey approximately every three weeks
for the next few months.
For more details about the survey results, please open the SMS Community Pulse Survey Results PDF attachment.
This study was published on the front page of the May 14th, 2020 edition of the Star Advertiser.
— Randy Perreira, Executive Director
Hawai'i Government Employees Association