COVID-19 pandemic leads to worries about job loss, anxiety on lack of social interactions: Surveys

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in worries about job or income loss, and anxiety because of lack of social interactions, two separate surveys, commissioned by insurers, said on Tuesday. A 2,500-respondents survey by SBI Life said job or income loss is among the top three financial worries, and a bulk of 78 per cent respondents feel that stress or anxiety affects mental and physical immunity, as per an official statement.

A survey of 1,089 people by Bharti Axa General Insurance said anxiety over not being able to meet family or friends (44 per cent), concern over returning to work place (38 per cent) and lack of focus on work (36 per cent) are the top three situations being faced since the beginning of the lockdowns, as per an official statement. The insurers released their surveys on occasion of the World Heart Day, observed on September 29.

"We are living in unprecedented times. The need to be conscious and wary of our physical health and well-being has never been more crucial than it is now. "Evident through this study, stress can be an invisible but major contributor to heart disorders as it is a leading cause of cardiovascular ailments," Bharti Axa Managing Director and Chief Executive Sanjeev Srinivasan said.

SBI Life President Ravi Krishnamurthy said, "While personal and family safety is the biggest concern in the current situation, the pandemic has re-emphasized the importance of immunity for each one of us." While consumers' current state of financial preparedness towards any health emergency is inadequate, there is awareness on the need to build a 'financial immunity' to safeguard one's future, he added. The survey by Bharti Axa said preparing healthy meals is the top priority from a well being perspective, with 53 per cent respondents voting for it, followed by exercising (51 per cent) and walking (40 per cent).

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)