Transmission and Trust: The Impact of COVID-19 on British Jewish and British Muslim Communities

The Woolf Institute has collected nationally-representative survey data to study the impact of COVID-19 on British Jewish and British Muslim communities.

Our survey asked questions concerning testing, symptoms, self-isolation and vaccination. Is the willingness to self-isolate and receive a vaccine higher or lower in Jewish and Muslim communities, and how do they compare to the general population?

We asked questions about levels of trust in various sources of public health information: from family, friends and local religious leaders, to news and social media, to the NHS and local authorities. Are faith communities less likely to ignore official public health messaging and more likely to follow guidance from a local rabbi or imam?

We heard media stories about ruling-breaking during the pandemic within both Jewish and Muslim communities. To what extent does statistical evidence support or challenge these accounts? Our survey included questions concerning adherence to Covid-19 rules and restrictions.

Please find our report and its executive summary below. In certain circumstances, the full dataset may be available upon request.

For more information, contact Dr Julian Hargreaves at jh970@cam.ac.uk.