Smith, Louise E;
Potts, Henry;
Amlôt, Richard;
Fear, Nicola T;
Michie, Susan;
Rubin, James;
(2022)
How has the emergence of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern influenced worry, perceived risk, and behaviour in the UK? A series of cross-sectional surveys.
OSF Preprints: Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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Abstract
Objectives: To investigate: changes in beliefs and behaviours following news of the Omicron variant and changes to guidance; understanding of Omicron-related guidance; and factors associated with engaging with protective behaviours. Design: Series of cross-sectional surveys (1 November to 16 December 2021, 5 waves of data collection). / Setting: Online. / Participants: People living in England, aged 16 years or over (n=1622 to 1902 per wave). / Primary and secondary outcome measures: Levels of worry and perceived risk, and engagement with key behaviours (out-of-home activities, risky social mixing, wearing a face covering, and testing uptake). / Results: Beliefs about worry and perceived risk of COVID-19 fluctuated over time, with worry, perceived risk to self and perceived risk to people increasing slightly around the time of the announcement about Omicron. Understanding of the new rules in England was low, with people over-estimating the stringency of the new rules. Rates of wearing a face covering increased over time, as did testing uptake. Meeting up with people from another household decreased around the time of the announcement of Omicron (29 November to 1 December), but then returned to previous levels. Associations with engagement with protective behaviours was investigated using regression analyses. There was no evidence for significant associations between out-of-home activity and worry or perceived risk (COVID-19 generally or Omicron-specific). Engaging in highest risk social mixing and always wearing a face covering in hospitality venues were associated with worry and perceived risk about COVID-19. Always wearing a face covering in shops was associated with having heard more about Omicron. / Conclusions: Almost two years into the COVID-19 outbreak, the emergence of a novel variant of concern only slightly influenced worry and perceived risk. The main protective behaviour (wearing a face covering) promoted by new guidance showed significant re-uptake, but other protective behaviours showed little or no change.
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