On 11 March 2020 the SARS-CoV−2 virus was officially declared a pandemic and measures were set up in various countries to avoid its spread among the population. This paper aims to analyse the perception of risk of COVID−19 infection in the Spanish population. A cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted with a total of 16,372 Spanish participants. An online survey was used to gather data for 5 consecutive days over the compulsory lockdown period which was established after the state of emergency was declared. There is an association between socio-demographic variables and risk perception, and a very strong relationship between this perception and contact and direct experience with the virus in a family, social or professional setting. We also found that compared to working from home, working outside the home increased the perception of risk of infection and the perception of worsening health. Understanding the public perception of the risk of COVID−19 infection is fundamental for establishing effective prevention measures.

In January 2020, the WHO classified SARS-CoV-2 infection as a public health emergency and it was declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The media warned about the danger of infection, fuelling the population’s fear of the new situation and increasing the perception of risk. This fear can cause behaviour that will determine the course of the pandemic and, therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyse the fear of infection from COVID-19 among the Spanish population during the state of emergency. A cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted with 16,372 participants. Data on sociodemographic factors, health factors, risk perception and fear were collected through an online survey. Level of fear is associated with older age, a lower level of education, having a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the immediate surroundings and living with and belonging to the most socioeconomically vulnerable group of people. Risk perception is associated with increased preventive behaviour. This paper provides relevant information for the public health sector since it contributes first-hand knowledge of population data that is highly useful in terms of prevention. Understanding the experiences of people in this pandemic helps to create more effective future intervention strategies in terms of planning and management for crisis situations.

Throughout the pandemic, national and international health authorities have called on the population to collaborate and contribute with their behavior to control the problem. The aim of this study is to analyze the implementation of the protective measures against COVID-19 and to determine the factors involved in their compliance. To respond to the objectives, a cross-sectional study was performed involving a total of 5560 individuals. An ad hoc online questionnaire was created and shared through social networks, scientific societies, and various health institutions. The probability of high or total compliance with the protective measures was higher in women (OR = 1.401) and as age increases, with an OR = 2.524 in the interval between 31 and 64 years old and an OR = 2.896 in the oldest interval (65 and over). This study shows the characteristics of the population that considers it more likely to be infected by SARS-CoV-2, thus adopting greater adherence to prevention measures. Knowing which factors are associated with adherence to protective measures is essential for establishing effective pandemic control measures. Our findings may be useful for designing future awareness campaigns adapted to different socio-demographic characteristics in settings affected by COVID-19.