Aims: to assess the pharmacy users’ perception on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health, the knowledge of their possible inclusion in risk groups and their attitude towards a potential vaccine.
Material and methods: Randomized, cross-sectional, observational study in pharmacies of Pontevedra and Ourense, from March to June 2020 at the beginning and after movement restrictions.
Subjects: users ≥18 years old who go to the participating pharmacies to purchase medicines and/or hygiene and protection material.
Procedure: the user completed an anonymous questionnaire, which was then placed until night in a plastic tray that was disinfected daily. The procedure will be repeated after the confinement has been terminated.
Results of the first phase: 706 surveys were conducted. 415 (58.8%) women, aged 48.9 9 years on average (SD=16.9). 100 participants (14.2%) live alone.
637 (90.2%) believe that COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza, 189 (26.8%) don’t know if they belong to any risk group.
107 (15.1%) say they feel bad or very bad about isolation. The most affected aspects are: familiar 350 (49.6%) and emotional 338 (47.9%).
In 2019/20, 172 (24.4%) were vaccinated against influenza and in 2020/21 243 (34.4%) are planning to get vaccinated. 448 (63.5%) will be vaccinated against COVID-19 when the vaccine is available, whether or not it is financed by the National Health System, and 183 (25.9%) will think about it.
Conclusions: respondents consider COVID-19 more dangerous than seasonal influenza. In this first phase, the impact on well-being and health does not seem to be high. A high percentage of people will be vaccinated against COVID-19.