Abu Dhabi: 57% believe life will go 'back to normal' by end of year

More than half of the residents in Abu Dhabi believe that life will 'return to normal' in the capital by the end of this year.

That's according to the Department of Community Development (DCD), which conducted a "life after coronavirus survey" involving more than 47,000 participants. 

The recent findings revealed that 14 per cent expect life to become normal again by mid-2021 and the remaining 29 per cent are still unsure. 

When it came to education, 54 per cent of Abu Dhabi's parents said they would send their children back to school once they reopen in September, 27 per cent indicated their decision will depend on the circumstances and 19 per cent said they prefer to continue with the remote e-learning scheme. 

Dr. Muna Al Bahar, Advisor to the Chairman of DCD, stated, "The life after coronavirus survey is a series of surveys and studies the DCD launched to analyse the impacts and the effects of the pandemic on the families and the community, DCD has relied on a scientific tool in conducting studies that can determine future challenges inline with the current circumstances, to escalate them to decision-makers to ensure future anticipation and provision of better life quality."

In terms of commercial activities, 83 per cent of businesses reported that they will be more innovative post-pandemic, 82 per cent confirmed that their companies will adopt a more digital approach and 81 per cent said digital solutions and online transactions will become the norm. 

The DCD's recent survey shows that 63 per cent of participants expect that they will be able to secure a job post-pandemic. 

Also, 75 per cent believe that working remotely will become a common practice. 

Al Bahar added, "The final results indicated the awareness of the future expectations while benefitting from the pandemic experience. Abu Dhabi has achieved many proactive measures to provide a safe and dignified life for all, and today we are moving to a new phase of awareness to ensure the smooth, gradual return to normal life. We must think ahead about the future, challenges and create plans to perceive the future."

Meanwhile, results demonstrated that 80 per cent of respondents agreed that technology contributed to improving the quality of life, and 76 per cent said they were able to navigate and utilize new high-tech products on their own. 

Almost all, (92 per cent) of those who participated confirmed that they have complete confidence in the government's abilities in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With more than 47000 participants, The Department of Community Development (DCD) announced the final results of 'life after coronavirus survey', The survey was conducted to analyze the community's lifestyles, impacts and expectations post-pandemic pic.twitter.com/3eRWIHAv7o

— دائرة تنمية المجتمع -أبوظبي (@DCDAbuDhabi) July 29, 2020