The behavior of the general public will likely have an important bearing on the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, says Geldsetzer (2020). This study assessed knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 among a convenience sample of the general public in the United States and United Kingdom.

The researcher sent a survey to 80,000 individuals, of whom approximately 43% reside in the United Kingdom and 33% in the United States.

In total, 2,986 and 2,988 adults residing in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively, completed the questionnaire. Geldsetzer (2020) found that although participants generally had good knowledge of the main mode of disease transmission and common symptoms, the survey identified several important misconceptions on how to prevent acquisition of COVID-19, including beliefs in falsehoods that have circulated on social media. A substantial proportion of participants also expressed an intent to discriminate against individuals of East Asian ethnicity for fear of acquiring COVID-19. A more detailed analysis and visualization of all survey responses are available.

Reference: Geldsetzer P. Knowledge and Perceptions of COVID-19 Among the General Public in the United States and the United Kingdom: A Cross-sectional Online Survey. Ann Intern Med. March 20, 2020.