Assessment of fear among the general public of Kerala, India, following a surge of COVID-19 cases

During the initial stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the community spread of the virus had efficiently been prevented in Kerala, India. The present study aimed to assess fear and its predictors among the general public following the unforeseen surge of COVID-19 cases in July, 2020 using a reliable and validated tool, the ‘Fear of COVID-19 Scale’, administered through social media. Of 1,100 responses, 1,046 responses were included in the analysis. The majority of the respondents expressed mild fear 44.6%; moderate fear was found in 39.4% of the respondents, severe fear in 13.6% and very severe fear in 2.4% of the respondents. The mean fear score was found to be 15.93±5.81. Statistically significant (P≤0.05) associations were found between fear and sociodemographic variables, such as age, sex, education and occupation, along with predictors, such as the district of residence, healthcare stakeholders in the family, and the presence of an infected individual in the family. Women and students were found to be the most affected. On the whole, the present study provides sufficient insight into the fear associated with COVID-19. The findings presented herein may enable authorities to take adequate measures to prevent the aftermath.