Seychelles: Seychellois Commend Government’s Response to Covid-19 but Find Assistance Lacking

Majority think their government is prepared to deal with future public health emergencies.

Key findings

Six in 10 Seychellois (61%) said they or a member of their household had become ill with COVID-19 or tested positive for the virus. One in 10 (11%) said someone in their household had lost a job, business, or primary source of income due to the pandemic. Most adults (83%) said they had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; 12% said they were unlikely to try to get vaccinated. Respondents who were reluctant to get vaccinated offered a variety of reasons, including distrust of the vaccine (17%) and reliance on God’s protection (17%). More than half (56%) of Seychellois said they trust the government to ensure the safety of vaccines, while 14% expressed no trust at all. Overall, more than three in four Seychellois (77%) approved of the government’s response to COVID-19. In particular, majorities were satisfied with the government’s efforts to minimise disruptions to children’s education (66%) and to ensure that health facilities were adequately resourced (65%). However, only 38% were satisfied with its efforts to provide assistance for vulnerable households, and just 24% said such assistance was distributed fairly. More than four in 10 citizens (45%) believed that “a lot” (17%), “some” (20%), or “a little” (8%) of the resources available to combat the pandemic were lost due to corruption. In response to a public health emergency like a pandemic, 66% considered it justified to use the police or military to enforce public health mandates, but fewer than half endorsed postponing elections (38%) or censoring the media (24%). More than half (56%) of Seychellois said they believe that the government is “somewhat” or “very” prepared to deal with future public health emergencies. Almost half (46%) said the government needs to invest more in preparations for such a crisis, even if that means fewer resources are available for other health services, while 33% disagreed.

Seychelles’ first confirmed COVID-19 case, in March 2020, triggered travel restrictions, school closures, and bans on public gatherings (Ernesta, 2020). Despite a variety of government measures to cushion the impact of the pandemic, including financial and social welfare support, the country’s gross domestic product growth rate plummeted from 3.1% in 2019 to – 7.7% in 2020 (United Nations Development Programme, 2020; World Health Organization, 2024a).

In January 2021, Seychelles became the first African country to launch a COVID-19 immunisation campaign, spurring the gradual easing of restrictions. By mid-2021, more than 60% of its population was fully vaccinated, one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world. Yet a resurgence of cases in May 2021 necessitated renewed containment measures (Gappy, 2021; Health Policy Watch, 2021; Warren, 2021; World Health Organization, 2024a).

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In September 2021, Seychelles extended its vaccination campaign to 12- to 17-year-olds, allowing it to surpass its 70% vaccination target in April 2022 (World Health Organization, 2024a).

As of October 2024, the small island nation had recorded 51,891 cases of COVID-19 (43% of a population of about 119,800) and 172 deaths (World Health Organization, 2024b).

This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2023) questionnaire to explore the pandemic-related experiences and perceptions of citizens in Seychelles.

Findings show that about one in 12 Seychellois said their household had lost a primary source of income because of the pandemic. And while most citizens approved of the government’s overall response to COVID-19, only minorities were satisfied with its efforts to provide assistance for vulnerable households. Many saw the distribution of assistance as unfair and said resources intended for the pandemic response were lost to corruption.

Most adults said they had been vaccinated against COVID-19, and a majority expressed trust in the government’s ability to ensure the safety of vaccines. Most also approved of the use of security forces to enforce public health mandates, but only minorities endorsed postponing elections or censoring media reporting because of a pandemic.

More than half of Seychellois expressed confidence that their government will be well prepared to handle future health emergencies.

Anne Okello Anne is the assistant project manager for East Africa

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