TU Delft to launch online survey of preferred exit scenarios on 29 April
What does the Dutch public think about relaxing coronavirus measures? TU Delft researchers will be collecting data from around 10,000 people in the Netherlands on how they would prefer coronavirus measures to be relaxed. From 29 April, anyone will be able to make their preferences known at www.tudelft.nl/covidexit.
In their work, the researchers will be using advanced methods, such as Participatory Value Evaluation, which provides more structured, more detailed and more reliable information than conventional opinion polls. The evaluation will be set up in partnership with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Dutch Ministry of Finance, and scientists of the Strategies versus corona platform. The researchers expect to be able to announce their preliminary results on Thursday, 7 May.
Useful and worthwhile?
How effective the coronavirus measures are depends to a major extent on the behaviour of people in the Netherlands. In turn, this behaviour depends on the degree to which people in the Netherlands believe the measures to be useful and worthwhile. There is therefore a need for more information about the public’s preferences in order to substantiate decisions on easing the coronavirus measures. For example, under which conditions would people in the Netherlands consider it acceptable to reopen (possibly partially) nursing homes and restaurants? And can we make a distinction between certain segments of society – for example based on age, position in the labour market or family situation – in this regard? TU Delft researchers will be conducting this PVE in order to answer these questions and be able to provide the RIVM and politicians with structured, detailed and reliable information.
Range of options
The government has a range of options for relaxing the coronavirus measures. Participants will be shown these options, including their pros and cons. They will first be asked to say which measures ought to be relaxed, after which they can explain their answers. Participants will also be able to contribute ideas about other measures which could possibly be relaxed.
Presenting preferences
The government can use the results of the PVE when considering scenarios for relaxing the coronavirus measures and when communicating the easing of measures. Because the results will not only demonstrate the preferences of the Dutch public, but also their reasons for these preferences, as well as differences between groups of people in the Netherlands, decisions can be taken on the basis of detailed information.
More information
This project is financed by the TU Delft COVID-19 Response Fund
Contact: Niek Mouter n.mouter@tudelft.nl
Science Information Officer TU Delft Roy Meijer, r.e.t.meijer@tudelft.nl, +31 6 140 15008