• 77.8% of respondents are not sure when they will return to work.
• While 8.8 per cent said in less than three months, 6.6 per cent were optimistic that they would resume work in less than a month.
Image: PSCU
About 61.9 per cent of Kenyans have not reported to work due to the coronavirus disease, a KNBS report shows.
The latest economic survey on the impact of Covid-19 on households by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicates 77.8% of respondents are not sure when they will return to work.
While 8.8 per cent said in less than three months, 6.6 per cent were optimistic that they would resume work in less than a month.
The report released on Thursday showed 4.5 per cent said work would resume after more than three months while 2.3 per cent said work will never resume.
"The specific Covid-19 related issues mentioned included the stay at home advisory (75.9%) and cessation of movement (21.4%)," the report released on Thursday said.
The report indicated a higher proportion of women than men cited the stay at home advisory as their reason for absence from work.
"On the contrary, a higher proportion of men than women reported that cessation of movement order was their main reason for being absent from work," the report read.
Meanwhile, the report shows at least 25.3 per cent of Kenyans have opted for prayers and worship as a mechanism to cope with Covid-19.
It indicates that 25.4 per cent have opted to seek consolation from family and relatives.
While 16.1 per cent are seeking consolation from friends, eight per cent have opted to listen to music compared to 6.8 who have opted to do exercise with 4.6 per cent doing nothing.
The report showing the effects of the second wave of the pandemic indicates that 41.9 per cent of households had cut on financial spending on non-essential commodities to mitigate the financial distress caused by the pandemic.
However 36.7 per cent did not take any measure to overcome the financial distress caused by the Covid-19.
Some 16.5 have reduced taking loans from credit institutions and mobile money lending apps.
The survey conducted between May 30 and July 6 sought information on the various mechanisms used by households to cope with the effects of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Nationally, the report indicates that 65.8 per cent of households have at least a member who is attending a learning institution.
With regards to payment of rent, all the respondents who reported to be living in rented houses were asked what mechanisms they were using to cope with payment of rent.
Some 33 per cent said they did not use any mechanism to cope with the inability to pay rent for May due to effects of the disease.
Some 26.4 per cent said they had renegotiated rent terms with the landlords while 14.5 per cent deferred rent payment.
While 1.3 per cent have moved to cheaper houses, 1.1 per cent are relying on donations from friends and well wishers.