According to Deco Proteste, 9 percent of Portuguese respondents to the online questionnaire revealed to have had at least one of the characteristic symptoms of covid-19 (fever, dry cough or breathing difficulties) in the last 15 days, but 77 percent did not contact health services, half revealed they did not comply with the quarantine and only 12 percent of those who had symptoms stayed at home, never going out under any circumstances.

In the presence of suspicious symptoms, the indications of the Directorate-General for Health are to call the SNS24 line and follow the instructions, but only 13 percent of respondents did so and 7 percent stated that they went directly to the emergency room.

The Deco study was carried out between 18 and 20 March using an online questionnaire with a sample of 1,002 responses from the Portuguese adult population.

At the time Deco Proteste conducted the survey, restrictions on the state of emergency in Portugal were not yet in place, but social isolation was already advised, with 68 percent indicating that they strictly adhered to the recommendations regarding staying at home ” and women were “more respectful than men”.

The study also shows that 74 percent of residents in Lisbon strictly follow the advice to stay at home, against 67 percent of residents in Porto.

The Deco Proteste survey also indicates that, since the beginning of the restrictions on mobility, 17 percent of respondents say they often feel bored and 8 percent complain of loneliness, both of which are the most common feelings among the youngest, in particular at ages under 38.

About a fifth of the respondents, especially women, say that anxiety and fear are part of their daily lives, with women between 25 and 41 years of age being the most frightened. Women were also the ones who reported more difficulties in sleeping.