COVID-19 lockdown during field work

Challenges and strategies in continuing the survey

Abstract

This paper describes the consequences that the non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic had on the data collection of the panel study ReGES and the solution adopted to continue the field work. The NPI were introduced during the 7th wave of the ReGES study and led to a disruption of the field work. In order to continue the field and to keep the data collected after the NPI comparable to the one collected before the NPI, we decided to switch the face-to-face mode to a telephone interview. The switch made content-related as well as technical and methodological adjustments to the instruments necessary. We also discuss methodological issues that must be taken into account when preparing and analysing the data.