A government survey has revealed that about 70 percent of Singapore residents are positive about their overall quality of life post-pandemic, compared with before COVID-19 hit.
The survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and conducted by RySense, polled 1,052 Singapore residents aged 15 and above online from Jan 31 to Feb 6.
The findings were released on Sunday (Mar 19), a day before a White Paper on Singapore’s response to COVID-19 is set to be debated in Parliament.
According to the survey, respondents rated their overall quality of life now as Good or Very Good at 69 percent. They also rated 10 key aspects of life, such as relationships, work-life balance and health.
About 77 percent of the respondents said family relationships became stronger or remained the same over the pandemic. About 72 percent felt their overall quality of life was the same or better this year, compared with 2019.
However, not all segments of society felt equally optimistic. The survey found that youths aged 15 to 19 reported a drop in their quality of life and their ability to manage their mental health more than other age groups.
About 38 percent of youths said their quality of life was worse now than before COVID-19, compared with 28 percent for the general population. About 37 percent of youths also said there was a decrease in their ability to manage their mental health now compared with before the pandemic.
MCI said this suggested that COVID-19 restrictions on social activities had a greater impact on young people, especially teenagers. For example, about 40 percent of youths reported that their relationships with friends were poorer than before COVID-19.
Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo called COVID-19 “the crisis of our generation” in a Facebook post on Sunday.
She said the survey showed that Singaporeans had “demonstrated resilience” and “adapted well” to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
She also urged Singaporeans to continue supporting one another and staying vigilant against COVID-19 as the country transitions to living with endemicity.
