Results of On Point’s Recent Consumer Survey on Respiratory Virus Prevention©
July 20th, 2020
On Point Advisors, LLC has sponsored proprietary consumer research that included habits, attitudes & practices of representative consumers in the US in relationship to infectious respiratory viruses. The survey was conducted on the internet by Acupoll (Cincinnati) between June 25 and July 2 with 270 male and females over age 18. Here is a glimpse of non-proprietary insights into current consumer behavior.
We assessed: 1) the frequency with which participants employed various preventive practices; and, 2) related purchase frequencies.
Covid awareness was high as consumers rated their awareness of “Coronavirus, Covd-19, SARS-CoV-2” high at 8.1 on a 10+ scale. Attesting to heightened Covid awareness the use of measures to help prevent respiratory infection was surprisingly common, that is only 11% never used a hand sanitizer and only 8% never wore a face mask. In the hierarchy of preventative methods for those exhibiting a behavior once or more a day was: hand washing frequency jumped up at 3x or more/day (87%), as did use of a hand sanitizer at 1-2x or more a day (60%). Other behaviors tended to be once or twice daily such as wearing a face mask (23%), washing your face (67%), or taking a dietary supplement (43%).
As to purchase behavior only 9% never bought disinfectant wipes and only 10% never bought a hand sanitizer. The hierarchy of preventative product purchases of least one or more a month was: disinfectant wipes (42%), hand sanitizer (39%), facial cleaner (29%), and common colds supplements (23%).
As to influenza prevention 60% of the sample had received their annual flu shot while 7% experienced influenza within the previous year which falls within the range of historical US seasonal prevalence estimates by CDC.
The accepted consumer belief that hand washing is an effective prevention measure was high with a mean score of 8.7 on a 10+ scale. Face masks were judged somewhat less effective at 6.7.
When going out in public consumers strongly felt they were doing everything they could to not contract the viruses in the community (SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19), but at the same time wished there were easier methods available to reduce their chance of becoming ill. Previous influenza illness tended to increase interest in preventative methods.
Clearly there is a prevention technology gap (vaccines) during which time these traditional prevention measures have been accepted by consumers. More can be done. The good news is that learned behaviors will create an “infection consciousness” that will carry over to the common cold, influenza, and other seasonal respiratory viruses all of which can be transmitted in part by close contact, fomites, droplets or aerosols. Overall reductions in infections, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and death from all respiratory viruses should not be ignored in considering excess morbidity.
Copyright 2020, On Point Advisors, LLC
Dr. Riker spent a decade managing the Vicks/P&G industry/academic clinical research of common cold viruses and their treatment and has been advising companies marketing or developing antiviral technologies on clinical support of claims and registrations. He is a long standing member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and other medical research organizations.
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