Rural insights platform Gaon Connection Insights has just released its third rural survey, titled the ‘COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ on the perceptions of rural Indians around the coronavirus vaccine, its efficacy, whether they will pay for it if required and what it will do to their lives. More than 51% respondents said that the disease was a ‘conspiracy by China’, 22% believed it was a failure of people to take precautions and 18% believed this was the Government’s failure.
The survey found that slightly less than half – 44% – of the respondent households were willing to pay and get the corona vaccine and 36% declined to pay for it. Two-thirds among those willing to pay said they would pay less than Rs 500 for two doses of vaccine. Only 8% were willing to pay Rs 1000 or more for two doses of the vaccine.
Since affordability is a big issue in rural India, people were asked if they had to pay Rs 1000, then whom would they get vaccinated first in their family. More than 33% respondents said they would vaccinate their old parents.
When questioned about companies launching the COVID-19 vaccines, 77% respondents were aware of the information.
The majority of India’s citizens – who live in its rural hinterland – will be key to the vaccination effort to prevent the pandemic from causing further damage. The face-to-face survey was conducted between December 1 and 10 across 60 districts in 16 States and one Union Territory with a sample size of 6,040 households.
More findings about rural India
Around one-fourth of the total respondent households reported that samples from at least one member of their household had been taken for the testing of COVID-19 and 15% rural households reported at least one person in their household/friend circle tested positive for COVID-19. The proportion of such households was the highest (42.6%) in the East and North-east zone, whereas it was the lowest in the North zone (10.9%).
The survey also asked rural citizens if the Government had to prioritise vaccination, who should be given the top priority to which 43.5% respondents said it should be the doctors and nurses.
The survey also found that half the respondents were spending more money in the corona period on buying and consuming packaged immunity-boosting products. COVID-19 has also changed the food habits of rural citizens with almost 70% respondents saying they had stopped eating outside food. Over 33% said they had started eating more vegetables, whereas 30% said they were eating more fruits.
Click here to read the ‘The Rural Report 3: COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ survey
