Majority of UK people fear coronavirus would hit their families: Survey

More than 85 percent people in Britain are either very worried or somewhat worried that they or someone in their family would be infected by the novel coronavirus, said a survey published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Thursday.

Providing the first official round-up of the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on Britons, the survey revealed that the number was even higher for at-risk groups, such as those aged 70 and over (91.7 percent) and those with underlying health conditions (90.4 percent).

Over 77 percent said they had an understanding of how to protect themselves from COVID-19, but just 47.8 percent thought they had enough information about Britain's plan for dealing with the pandemic.

About 99.8 percent adults said they had washed hands with soap and water to avoid infection in the last seven days, with almost nine in 10 saying they had increased the frequency of doing so since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The survey also showed 89.2 percent of adults had either cancelled or postponed plans because of the coronavirus in the past seven days.

Just over half of all adults said someone had offered to organize or bring food and other essentials if they need to self-isolate or become unwell. This rose to 83.3 percent for those aged 70 and over.

"The latest information shows that even in the early days coronavirus is affecting so many of us," said Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the ONS.

"Our opinions and lifestyle survey shows we are less likely to see or visit our friends and loved ones, but more likely to talk to them on the phone. It also shows how society is coming together to help those in need in these unprecedented times," said Bell.

Initial findings from the survey, carried out between March 20 and March 30, have been shared with the British government to help it contain the outbreak.