Survey: Americans have a negative view of U.S. COVID response | The Numbers Racket

In a survey published last week, the Pew Research Center found that Americans had “broadly negative assessments” of the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The survey was conducted nationally from July 27 – Aug. 2, interviewing 11,001 adults from Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel. 

Findings

The biggest concern among respondents, the survey found, is state governments lifting restrictions too quickly. Sixty-nine percent of Americans said their greatest concern is that state governments have been lifting the coronavirus outbreak restrictions too quickly. 

Cases of COVID-19 have doubled since June, according to the Washington Post. 

In the last month, several states have seen spikes in cases. Centers for Disease Control data from Aug. 9, shows that California, Texas, Florida and Georgia currently have the highest number of COVID-19 cases. 

The survey also found that 62 percent of respondents said the U.S.response to the coronavirus has been less effective, compared with other wealthy countries. Twenty-five percent said the U.S. response to the coronavirus is about as effective as other countries and just 13 percent said the U.S. response has been more effective compared to other wealthy countries. 

Fifty-three percent say an inadequate response by the federal government is a major reason the outbreak has continued, while 49 percent cite a lack of timely testing. Forty percent of respondents point to unclear instructions about how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and 28 percent say that it is not possible to do much to control its spread as major reasons.

On politicians and officials 

Respondents rated elected and public officials on their response to COVID-19. Below are the rates of those who reviewed the response of the following as “excellent.”

Local elected officials … 13%

State elected officials … 16%

Public health officials such as those at the CDC … 16%

President Donald Trump … 15%

Hospitals and medical centers in your area … 43%

Source of spike

According to the survey, Democrats and Republicans disagree on the source of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. 

Eighty percent of Democrats attribute the rise in cases to an increase in infections compared with 19 percent of Democrats who attribute the rise in cases to more people being tested than in previous months. 

Among Republicans, 62 percent attribute the rise in cases to more testing than in previous months. Thirty-six percent of Republicans or those who lean Republican attributed the increase to new infections.