Social relationships and activities following elimination of SARS-CoV-2: a qualitative cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives To investigate how successfully SARS-CoV-2 elimination strategies fulfil their promise of allowing a return to a "normal" social life, and to identify obstacles and challenges that may inhibit the realisation of this goal. Design Qualitative cross-sectional survey. Setting New Zealand community cohort. Participants 1040 respondents entered the study (18-90 years, M = 48.18.11, SD = 15.52, 76% women). 966 completed the questions relevant to this article. Participants were recruited via online advertisement campaigns designed to maximise variation in the sample as far as practicably possible. Main outcome measures Thematic analysis of participants' narratives. Results A majority of participants reported that the elimination of SARS-CoV-2 had allowed their life to go back to being "more or less the same" as before the pandemic. A small number indicated the pandemic had inspired them to become more social following elimination. Nevertheless, a sizeable minority of respondents reported being less social, even many months after SARS-CoV-2 had been eliminated. This was often because of fears that the virus might be circulating undetected, or because the March-May 2020 lockdown had led to changes in relationships and personal habits that were not easily reversed. Becoming less social was associated with having an underlying health condition that heightened one's vulnerability to COVID-19 (p = 0.00005) and older age (p = 0.007). Conclusions Elimination strategies can successfully allow the public to return to a pre-pandemic "normal" - or reinvent and improve their social lives should they wish. However, such outcomes are not inevitable. Re-establishing social connections after elimination can sometimes be a challenging process, with which people may need support. Plans for providing such support should be an integral part of elimination strategies.