Facebook launches UK COVID-19 symptom survey
Facebook is asking selected UK users whether they have had symptoms of COVID-19. This initiative is part of a joint effort with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to track the spread of the disease. Facebook said it would not have access to users’ health data but would simply “pass it on” to CMU. Data from the surveys would be useful to scientists but probably not, on its own, reveal much about the disease. The tech firm launched the surveys in the US, on 6 April, attracting about a million responses per week. Read more on BBC
A new survey suggests the UK public supports a long lockdown
Some ranging from journalists to Conservative MP Liam Fox have presumed that British people want the lockdown to end “as quickly as possible”. But the results of a recent survey conducted by Gabriel Recchia’s team has indicated the opposite. They found that 87% believed the lockdown should continue for at least another three weeks (with 6% unsure and 7% disagreeing). Read the results on The Conversation
7 out of 10 UK firms have furloughed staff, according to a survey from the British Chamber of Commerce
To date, over 70% of private firms have furloughed staff in response to the coronavirus lockdown, according to the latest survey of Britain’s struggling business sector. The British Chamber of Commerce said responses to its weekly COVID-19 tracker poll revealed the proportion of firms that have furloughed at least some staff increased to 71% this week, from 66% last week. Read more on The Guardian
One in three UK households expects to need state help to weather coronavirus
One-third of British households said they were likely to need government support within the next three months to survive the coronavirus outbreak, according to a survey that reveals pessimism about job security and the health of the economy. Research firm Kantar said 44% of those working believed their job was less safe than it was 12 months ago, the highest recorded measure since it began the survey in August 2011. Read more on Reuters
Students ‘should be able to retake the year’
According to the National Union of Students, students should be given the option to retake or be reimbursed for this academic year. The NUS is also calling for a student hardship fund to help those struggling. The union says a survey of nearly 10,000 student union members shows 81% are worried about their future job prospects and 95% are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. The government says it understands this is a difficult time for students. Read the survey results on BBC.