Tamil Nadu Covid Pulse Survey (TNCPS), as a rapid response telephonic survey, was designed to take place at regular time intervals over one-year period (approximately once every 3-4 months) to assess the impact of the global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown measures over time on sampled households in the state. In order to assist the GoTN with this mammoth and critical task, the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) had launched this state- wide rapid response telephonic survey in collaboration with the Department of Economics and Statistics (DES), GoTN in all 321 districts of the state. The Wave 1 of the TNCPS had a sample size of 13,749 rural and urban households out of which 10,014 households were successfully surveyed. After removing wrong numbers and households that had moved out of the state, the sample size of the second wave was reduced to 12,306 rural and urban households out of which 8,940 households were successfully surveyed.
The first Wave that was carried out in June 2020 gathered data for the period between February to May 2020. February 2020 was used as the pre-Covid reference period for comparison. Wave 1 collected data on a range of indicators such as impact on livelihoods, income, reverse migration, impact of Covid relief schemes, food security challenges, mental health challenges and Covid cases. The data from Wave 1 contributed to the recommendations of the High-Power committee report.
TNCPS Wave 2 was carried out in October 2020 and collected data from the same sample for the period between June to September 2020. Data was collected for the same set of indicators as Wave 1 in order to measure change over time between the two waves. In addition, challenges of online education (which had been rolled out during this period) was added to the questionnaire. During this time, the process of unlocking of the economy had also begun. A risk perception module was included to get insights and people’s perceptions to help policy making.
The primary objective of the TNCPS was to provide the GoTN with useful data to design appropriate policy measures in order to start reversing the adverse impact of the global pandemic. A quantitative methodology was used wherein a questionnaire was prepared and programmed to collect data on key variables such as reverse migration, loss of employment, loss of household income, GoTN’s social security schemes and COVID-19 Support Schemes, online education, risk perception etc. Computer Assisted Telephonic Interviews (CATI) was used to administer the questionnaire to the respondents during the pandemic.