How are you coping with the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic? Summary report 3

Healthwatch Cumbria report on the experiences of local people in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic during July and August 2020.  This is their third summary report based on a third version of a survey. They spoke to 96 people.

The score for the mental health of respondents was lower than the average for the second version of the survey.  They also had a higher incidence of mental health issues.  Most were currently relying on friends and family for support. The pandemic had made things more difficult for people with mental health problems – they could only access GP support (rather than any specialist support) during a crisis. 

There was a mixed picture in relation to the financial impact of the pandemic – over seven in ten had not been affected, but six people had struggled to afford food and/or pay essential bills.

Of the two in five that had a pre-existing medical condition, over half were able to continue treatment.  Over half of those who had contacted a GP surgery during the pandemic felt it was a positive experience.

Just under a quarter of respondents have caring responsibilities for at least one other person. They faced a wide variety of challenges, including trying to balance paid work with caring responsibilities and supporting other people’s mental health.

One in five respondents had been advised to shield. Over half were worried or concerned about coming out of lockdown. Their main concern was other people not adhering to guidelines (such as maintaining social distancing), followed by worries about catching the virus.

Two in five respondents said that they hope to continue with the regular exercise they have started, while 44% hadn’t done much exercise, but hoped to begin to tackle this. 35% want to continue with the video chats they started during lockdown. 27% want to decrease the amount of alcohol they have been consuming.