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Large majority of Germans remain 'very optimistic' about the future despite pandemic

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Large majority of Germans remain 'very optimistic' about the future despite pandemic
People walking in Stuttgart in October. Photo: DPA

A majority of Germans believe the partial shutdown to be an effective measure, a new survey has found. There's also a great deal of optimism among the population.

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Unsurprisingly, coronavirus continues to dominate the political agenda: 80 percent of all respondents to the ZDF Politbarometer state that Covid-19 is currently the most important problem in Germany.

In general, however, Germans remain very optimistic, according to the representative study. A massive 85 percent of all respondents believe that Germany will come through the coronavirus pandemic well in the coming months. Only 13 percent had a more pessimistic view.

Yet there are still health worries, at least for some. Similar to the last poll conducted three weeks ago, 56 percent believe that their health is endangered by the virus, while 42 percent do not think so.

READ ALSO: How serious is the Covid-19 situation in Germany's hospitals?

Majority believe coronavirus measures are just right

Since the beginning of November there has been a shutdown light in Germany involving the closure of leisure and gastronomy facilities, and stricter contact restrictions. Shops, schools and childcare facilities – unlike in spring – are not closed.

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A majority – 55 percent – believes that the current coronavirus protection measures will effectively limit the increase of  infections in Germany, while 43 percent doubt this.

A total of 26 percent are in favour of stricter far-reaching measures, while 58 percent think the current provisions are just right and 14 percent think they are excessive.

When it comes to the impact, the crisis is a "very heavy burden" for 12 percent of respondents, and a "heavy burden" for 35 percent.

A total of 43 percent report the virus is not taking such a heavy toll on them, and 10 percent do not feel any burden at all.

Perhaps surprisingly, financial factors do not play the main role in worries: only eight percent of all respondents say that their economic situation has deteriorated very much or severely as a result of the pandemic. 

A large 72 percent say that they have not been affected financially by the crisis at all.

READ ALSO: 'The curve is flattening': Germany reports signs that coronavirus resurgence is easing

Massive opposition to protests

Similar to a September poll, 86 percent of all respondents do not support the protests against corona measures, while 12 percent are in favour of them.

There is a low level of support for the demos among voters of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and it's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (five percent), Social Democrats (seven percent) and the Greens (three percent).

In contrast, 54 percent of Alternative for Germany (AfD) supporters think these protests are good. Meanwhile, 18 percent of Free Democrats (FDP) voters and 18 percent of Left Party voters support the protests.

In the event that participants in demonstrations do not stick to the coronavirus requirements such as compulsory masks and distance regulations, 87 percent of respondents wish that police would intervene immediately to break up the demos, while 10 percent are against that action.

The poll was conducted by the Mannheim Research Group on Elections by telephone with 1,347 randomly selected voters between November 10th and 12th.

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Most people support getting vaccinated

In another poll, a majority of Germans said they wanted to be vaccinated as soon as a coronavirus vaccine is available. .

The survey for ARD-DeutschlandTrend found 37 percent said they will vaccinated when it's available to them. And 34 percent currently consider it likely that they will be vaccinated.

In contrast, 29 percent stated that they "probably will not" or "under no circumstances" want to be vaccinated.

The Standing Vaccination Committee has made suggestions on who should be vaccinated first: first high risk groups, then doctors and nurses, then system-relevant professions such as police officers or teachers. Such prioritisation is right for 93 percent of Germans, the poll found.

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