Seven out of ten entrepreneurs worry about a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic that could block their activity again, according to a survey carried out by Frames for industry association Protejăm România (We Protect Romania), active in the sanitary sector.

Of those surveyed, 57% believe that the effects of the pandemic will be visible until at least the beginning of 2022. Only 22% think the economy will get back on track in the second half of this year, while 19% said they did not know how things would evolve.

Furthermore, 62% of those surveyed worry about the epidemiological situation worsening, and only 15% have an optimistic view about what is coming.

The main worry is related to new restrictions that could impact the business environment, something 72% of respondents mentioned. Other challenges are price increases, mentioned by 43% of respondents, a deepening of the financial blockage (29%), a drop in sales (21%), and the payment of taxes, duties, bank and leasing installments (19%).

The survey also showed that 58% of respondents think that the number of cases could increase as people are more relaxed after the vaccination campaign started. Asked what measures they would adopt to protect themselves against the coronavirus, 92% mentioned wearing a mask, 67% using disinfectants, 52% reorganizing the work space, and 32% using temperature monitoring devices.  

Most respondents (81%) said they only purchase supplies approved by the Health Ministry, “masks and disinfectants of an officially certified quality,” the survey showed. Other purchase criteria were the brand (62%), the price (58%), the country of origin (32%), and the availability (16%).

At the same time, 73% of those answering the survey said they had no guarantee that the protection measures they implemented were efficient. Asked about the criteria on which they implemented the sanitary safety measures, 53% said they got information from the public area, 24% resorted to state institutions, and 17% contracted the services of a specialized firm. 

The barometer, “The Business Environment in the Covid-19 Context – Second Edition,” was carried out by Frames at the request of Protejăm România between January 14 and January 20. Online, phone, and email questionnaires were used for a sample of 230 companies in various industries, such as retail, financial services, HORECA, agriculture, energy, textile, IT. A total of 1,117 people answered the survey. The respondents are entrepreneurs, middle and top managers, 58% men and 42% women, with an average age of 45. Protejăm România is an initiative of the companies active in the sanitary safety sector (disinfectants, masks, gloves, specific supplies).

(Photo: Aleksandr Zbukov/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com