Survey reveals 60% people likely to attend wedding celebrations this season

Weddings are likely to see a huge rise in the number of attendees 

Team L&M

The Covid pandemic may have spoiled the big-fat wedding plans of some in 2020 or 2021, but it has certainly not dampened their spirit to tie the knot and celebrate the occasion as planned. With a significant decline in caseload and the third wave not arriving in India in September-October as predicted by experts, many states have lifted the limit of attendees allowed in weddings while some states have capped such mass gatherings to a maximum of 100 people. The trade bodies expect approximately 1.5 lakh weddings during the auspicious period of November 14- December 13 in Delhi alone, and as many as 25 lakh weddings across the country.

A recent survey by LocalCircles revealed that mask and social distancing compliance hit new lows during the festive season. In late October, mask compliance dropped drastically from 13 per cent of citizens surveyed rating it high in late September to only two per cent rating it high in late October. Social distancing compliance dropped by 50 per cent from six per cent rating compliance high in late September to 3% in late October. While COVID vaccination rates have been high, global research indicates that the immunity could start reducing nine months post the second dose. As India begun vaccinations for senior citizens and those above 45 years of age with co-morbidity on March 1, many could soon become vulnerable to the virus again. There has been a steady increase of COVID-19 cases post-Diwali in some states of India though at a country level, the daily case load has been between 9000 and 12,000.

SURVEY BY LOCALCIRCLES

LocalCircles has observed an increase in citizen posts and comments around weddings and their plans to attend it during the November-December period. Basis this feedback, to gauge the percentage of families expected to attend weddings in this season and the overall sentiment and risk of COVID rising, LocalCircles conducted a survey, which received more than 17,000 responses from citizens across 319 districts of India. Among the respondents, 62 per cent were men and 38 per cent women; 48 per cent respondents were from tier 1 cities, 29 per cent from tier 2 cities, and 23 per cent belonged to tier 3 & 4 cities and rural districts.

The survey findings indicate that 6 in 10 Indian families are likely to attend engagements and weddings this November-December period. This rise can be attributed to the declining Covid cases across the country, the vaccination giving people a sense of confidence and Covid fatigue in general. This season, 60 per cent fewer people now consider the risk of COVID to be high in attending engagement and weddings in November-December this year. But with low mask and social distancing compliance across the country, a likely waning of antibodies obtained from vaccination and many more people attending weddings and engagements is bound to drive up the risk of COVID spread.