UPDATED: APRIL 6, 2020
Tracking Public Opinion on the Coronavirus
Morning Consult monitors the shifts in U.S. views of the pandemic and its impact on consumer behavior
BY JOANNA PIACENZA

 

The coronavirus pandemic is the most complex and multifaceted threat that leaders in public health, politics and business have faced in the 21st century, with major ramifications for financial markets, governments and the ties that bind our society, such as athletics, the arts and the constitutional right to elect the people who represent us.

To date, there have been more than 1.28 million COVID-19 cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, including more than 337,000 in the United States, which has the highest number of reported cases. The outbreak in Wuhan, China, was first reported on Dec. 31, 2019, with the first confirmed case in the United States coming Jan. 21, 2020.

Morning Consult has been tracking public concerns over the coronavirus outbreak since Jan. 24. We’ll be updating this page every week with new data and information. Each data point is pulled from a survey of roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and holds a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

 

Concern Over the Spread of Coronavirus
Share of U.S. adults who are concerned about the coronavirus spreading to the United States, by party identification

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  • Concern over the virus’s spread has increased 21 percentage points since January.
Concern Over Coronavirus’s Impact on the U.S. Economy
Share of U.S. adults who are concerned about the coronavirus impact on the U.S. economies, by party identification

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Concern Over Coronavirus’s Impact on Different Economies, Among Wealthiest Consumers
Share of U.S. adults making $100,000 per year or more who are concerned about how coronavirus will affect different economies

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  • Concern for the U.S. economy has risen 40 points among the general public since January.
How Americans’ Travel Plans Are Changing
Share of U.S. adults who said they are less likely to do the following, based on fears over the coronavirus

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  • The share of U.S. adults who say they’re less likely to travel within the United States has tripled since the beginning of March (21 percent to 63 percent).
How Americans’ Purchasing Habits Are Changing
Share of U.S. adults who said they are more likely to buy the following, based on fears over the coronavirus

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  • The share of consumers who say they’re more likely to use restaurant services (29 percent), food delivery services (21 percent) and grocery delivery services (29 percent) has at least tripled since early March. 
How Americans’ Leisure Activities Are Changing
Share of U.S. adults who said they are less likely to do the following, based on fears over the coronavirus

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  • Roughly three-quarters of U.S. adults are now less likely to take a vacation (74 percent), use public transit (76 percent) or use a ride-hailing service (73 percent).
Approval of Trump’s Handling of the Coronavirus
Net approval among registered voters of President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus

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Approval of Leadership’s Handling of the Coronavirus
Net approval among registered voters of each of the following’s handling of the coronavirus

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  • Trump’s net approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic is down 13 points from the week of March 20, when it peaked at 14 points. 
  • Net approval of how Vice President Mike Pence is tackling the pandemic slipped 6 points in the past week. 
Morning Consult