Going Nuts – 72% Americans Will Hit Emotional Breakdown If Lockdown Orders Are Not Lifted By Mid-June

Australia, New Zealand and South Korea are among a few countries that have managed to contain the Coronavirus outbreak, allowing them to gradually re-open their economies and lift the lockdown orders. They now join China in restarting manufacturing and other business sectors. The favourite Bondi Beach reopens to swimmers and surfers in Sydney effective April 28.

In Europe, some countries have also started taking some steps to end the lockdown since a week ago, even though they’re still fighting with Covid-19. Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Austria and Germany are some that allow non-essential shops like bookstores, car showrooms, flower shops, hardware stores, hair and beauty salons, and even schools to re-open.

In Italy, a series of restrictions will be lifted as soon as May 4, including the manufacturing sector. For the first time in six weeks of complete lockdown on March 17, children in Spain are allowed to go out for a maximum of an hour. In France, President Emmanuel Macron has announced the ease of lockdown on May 11, the same day that Netherlands’ day-care centres and elementary schools will re-open.

Economy and unemployment are the two biggest reasons countries in the European Union have no choice but to gradually lift the lockdown. For example, Germany’s unemployment has dropped to a “historic low”, according to the latest barometer revealed by the German economic institute Ifo. All 4 sectors – manufacturing, construction, services and trade – saw sharply lower employment.

Similarly, economy and unemployment are the biggest reason why U.S. President Donald Trump is furious about the Coronavirus pandemic. With 6 months left before the 2020 Presidential Election, Trump and the White House have little options but to put all the blame on China. It’s easier to blame the Chinese than to defend Trump’s late response to the outbreak.

But there’s another reason why the U.S., despite leading the chart in both the number of Coronavirus cases and death toll, has also begun lifting the lockdown orders. While it’s true that Asia has controlled the virus more effectively than the U.S. and Europe because by default the Asians are more obedient, it’s a different story with the Western countries, especially the Americans.

Americans are growing more and more impatient with the lockdown. As the champion of democracy and human rights, most Americans don’t like to be caged and told to stay at home. Having lived a life of freedom, it’s only natural that most of the people in this nation are not able to bear the life of a lockdown much longer. They missed very much going out for a movie or patronizing a restaurant.

In a 20-minute survey done by Kelton Global from April 3-6, a whopping 72% of 1,895 U.S. citizens over the age of 18 said they would most likely reach a “breaking point” by mid-June. Yes, they would snap if the “stay at home” orders are not lifted by then. And if the lockdown lasts more than 6 months, 100% of the respondents said they would basically go nuts.

In fact, when the survey was first carried out, 16% said they had already hit their breaking point. Interestingly, of those who admitted they had snapped, 20% were women while 12% were men. The study also found that 50% of the women believed they will reach the emotional break-down within 4 weeks and 76% said they would in 2 months.

In the same breath, the research discovered that Generation-Z were more susceptible to emotional meltdown – 35% of those of those aged 18-24 as compared to 22% among those aged 45 and above. It also exposed the issue of financial security – 39% polled said the lockdown has caused financial difficulties while only 17% said they were financially comfortable.

However, at the same time, a huge majority (69%) of Americans feel “extremely worried” about flying on an airplane again or taking a cruise (76%). Similarly, 62% of the people were concerned about going to a restaurant and 58% were troubled about using a ride-sharing service such as Grab. More than half (53%) feel equally worried about going to hospital if they suffer a medical emergency.

As Covid-19 continues to affect and transform the Americans way of life, Dr. Martin Eichholz, Kelton Global’s Chief Insights Officer, said – “Our findings highlight the increasingly serious implications of stay-at-home orders, and puts some urgency on the actions of politicians and organizations who try to manage the COVID-19 fallout.”

But what is driving the majority of the Americans to such a melting point? The top factors included loneliness, constant anxiety, and frequent arguments with one’s spouse or family members and extreme worry over activities like visiting the grocery store. Many believe that the country – even the world – may never return to “normal” again. - financetwitter