NEW STUDY: American Public Responses to COVID-19

In response to the coronavirus epidemic in the U.S., we recently conducted a large national study on American Public Responses to COVID-19 in an effort to inform the public health community and policymakers about Americans’ coronavirus knowledge, attitudes, vulnerabilities, protective behaviors, and communication needs. I'm pleased to share the first of several reports. A few highlights:

Americans Prioritize Protecting Public Health Over the Economy

• By a margin of more than 5-to-1, Americans say stopping the spread of the coronavirus (84%) is more important than stopping the decline in the economy (16%).
• Large majorities of Americans across all demographic groups prioritize public health over the economy, including those who have been laid off or are seeking work, and Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, including 2016 Trump voters.

Americans Want More Action to Limit the Epidemic

• Majorities of Americans think that citizens themselves, the U.S. Congress, and President Trump should be doing more to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
• More than one in three Americans think that President Trump (38%) and citizens themselves (36%) should be doing “much more” to limit its spread. 

Americans Expect the Epidemic and the Economy to Get Worse

• As of April 7 2020, most Americans expect that both the spread of the coronavirus and its negative impacts on the economy will get worse over the next month.
• 64% think the epidemic will get “much worse” (25%) or “worse” (39%)
• 70% think the economy will get “much worse” (28%) or “worse” (42%)

Americans Want More Information

• 94% of Americans say they have been following the news about the coronavirus either “very” (63%) or “fairly” (30%) closely.
• However, a majority of Americans say they need more information about the coronavirus. About eight in ten say they need either “a little” (22%), “some” (35%), or “a lot” more information (25%).
• African Americans, liberal/moderate Republicans, and people living in urban areas are more likely than other Americans to say they need “a lot more information.”

Americans Trust Particular Sources of Information

• About 9 in 10 Americans trust health professionals – doctors, infectious disease experts, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – as sources of accurate information about the spread of the coronavirus.
• Large majorities of Americans also trust local news outlets (TV and newspapers) and national news networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) as sources of accurate information about the coronavirus.
• More than half of Americans trust their members of Congress and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, while fewer Americans trust President Trump, as a source of accurate information about the coronavirus.

Most, But Not All, Americans Understand Important Facts About the Coronavirus

A large majority of Americans know important facts about the coronavirus:

• 92% know that frequent handwashing is a way to protect against coronavirus
• 92% know that avoiding large gatherings of people can help prevent its spread
• 91% know coronavirus can be spread by people without symptoms
• 90% know a fever is a symptom of coronavirus
• 82% know a dry cough is a symptom of coronavirus
• 81% know there is currently no cure
• 78% know the coronavirus can live on some surfaces for days
• 74% know people can get infected if they are within 6 feet of someone who is infected

Smaller majorities of Americans know that certain claims are false:

• 75% know it is false that there is currently a vaccine proven to prevent coronavirus
• 62% know it is false that antibiotics can prevent or kill the coronavirus
• 60% know it is false that drinking water can flush the coronavirus into your stomach, where acid kills it

Most, But Not All, Americans Have Adopted Protective Behaviors

A large majority of Americans have adopted a range of protective behaviors:

• 90% are more frequently washing their hands with soap and water
• 87% are keeping at least 6 feet away from other people outside their home
• 84% have stopped shaking people’s hands
• 84% are more frequently cleaning or disinfecting their home or workspace
• 84% are calling or checking in with friends, family, or neighbors
• 82% are more frequently covering their mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and 78% are using their elbow or shoulder
• 77% are more frequently using hand sanitizer
• 70% have stocked up on food, supplies, and medications

Fewer Americans have purchased (39%) or worn a mask in public (44%).

Younger Americans are less likely than other adults to be taking protective measures, or to feel that it is socially normative to take protective actions.

Americans Perceive Strong Social Norms to Adopt Protective Behaviors

• Nearly all Americans (92%) say their family and friends are making at least “a moderate amount” of effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, 93% of Americans say it is at least “moderately” important to their family and friends that they take action to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

These and many other important findings – including breakdowns of the results by gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, urban, suburban or rural residence, and political party and ideology – implications of the results for communicators, along with the survey methods, are available in the full report on our website.

On behalf of the rest of the research team: Matthew Ballew, Parrish Bergquist, Matthew Goldberg, Abel Gustafson, John Kotcher, Jennifer Marlon, Amira Roess, Seth Rosenthal, and Ed Maibach, we hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy!