Factors explaining social resilience against COVID-19: the case of Spain

Between March and May, Spain was one of the hardest-hit European countries by the COVID-19 pandemic and registered one of the highest death rates in the world. Among other measures, the political response was a lockdown of more than three months that was applied by means of six fifteen-day extensions. The Spanish Sociological Research Centre (Centro de Investigaciones Sociologicas; CIS, in its Spanish acronym) carried out a survey in early June (n = 4,258) asking respondents about their rating of the response to the situation and their ability to cope with further extensions of the state of emergency. The concept of resilience is key to understanding this situation and the population's ability to face up to it. This paper analyses factors that help bolster resilience, which include confidence in the political leader and in the perception or rating of the measures adopted. The conclusion highlights the importance of political communication, both of leadership and of political measures, in fostering social resilience.

Automated summary

Spain was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic between March and May, with one of the highest death rates in the world. A survey conducted by the Spanish Sociological Research Centre in early June found varying levels of confidence in the government's response to the situation and the ability to cope with further extensions of the state of emergency. The concept of resilience plays a key role in understanding how the population is able to face such challenges, with factors like trust in political leaders and perception of measures adopted contributing to bolstering resilience.