Majority of Australians with symptoms still not getting tested for COVID-19

Monash University

Eighty-five per cent of Australians who have cold- or flu-like symptoms still aren’t getting tested for COVID-19, a Monash University survey has revealed.

Wave 7 of the Survey of COVID-19 Responses to Understand Behaviour (SCRUB), released today, found that while the majority of symptomatic people (62 per cent) reported staying at home, they didn’t get tested for COVID-19.

Despite consistent and ongoing government messaging, most reported not being tested because they didn’t think they had coronavirus or that their symptoms were too mild to warrant a test.

BehaviourWorks Australia, part of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute, is leading the Australian chapter of SCRUB in partnership with the Victorian Government.

The data, collected between early to mid-August, provides policymakers with actionable insights into public attitudes and behaviours relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This wave of SCRUB also found that coronavirus outbreaks in Australia’s eastern states and in New Zealand are leading to a greater compliance in COVID-safe behaviours by Australians.

Twenty-eight per cent of respondents reported their compliance had increased, whilst 65 per cent said it had stayed the same, with the main reason cited as concerns for the number of rising cases and outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand.

Three-quarters of the population report often or always following the rules and regulations with the highest compliance (88 per cent of respondents) seen in keeping a physical distance from people in public, in school or the workplace.

However, when people are in private with family and friends, this compliance drops to 73 per cent, with just under half stating they believed their family and friends were safe to have contact with.

Data on the state of people’s physical and mental health was collected in this wave, with two-thirds of respondents stating their physical and mental health was about the same as before the pandemic.

More than a quarter (29 per cent) said their mental health was worse.

Lead researcher Dr Peter Slattery said it was concerning people weren’t getting tested for COVID-19 while symptomatic.

“COVID-19 affects people in different ways and some people do only develop mild symptoms, or may be altogether asymptomatic,” he said. “Getting tested, even if you don’t believe you have COVID-19, is so important to stopping the spread.”

He was pleased, however, that people were still adhering to COVID-safe behaviours, but urged Australians to practise them both publicly and privately.

“Despite lockdown fatigue, boredom and COVID-19 complacency being touted as some of the factors undermining Australia’s attempts to overcome COVID-19 outbreaks, our data failed to support these,” he said.

“Australians are cognisant of rising cases and outbreaks, they see what is happening across the ditch in New Zealand, and they are complying with the rules and regulations.

“Whilst it is excellent to see this, Australians should still be physically distancing from friends and family in private settings.

“Family and friends may be asymptomatic and as we can see from Victoria, COVID-19 spreads at an exponential rate, particularly among close contacts.”

/Public Release.