Key Findings:
- Citizens in surveyed MENA countries are judging COVID-19 responses of governments based on the ability to manage the healthcare crisis and the economic fallout of the pandemic.
- Performance rating is highest where citizens rate both health, economic response well (Morocco).
- Performance rating is lowest where citizens rate both health, economic response poorly (Lebanon, Tunisia).
- Performance rating is mixed where governments are doing well in one aspect, not as well on the other. Healthcare seems to count more than economy in Algeria and Jordan.
- Concern about the spread of COVID-19 is still high among citizens in surveyed MENA countries, though this concern has decreased in several countries.
- Among citizens who are vaccine hesitant, those who trust the government say they are more likely get the vaccine if were made available.
- Citizens deem the disruption of children’s education as one of the biggest challenges posed by COVID-19, and publics want more money invested in their education systems.
- The pandemic stands to deepen economic inequality as job loss and inflation threaten economic security.
