Report: Most Americans Expecting—or Already Experiencing—a Coronavirus Outbreak in Their Local Area

The March 2020 Daily Kos/Civiqs Poll asked 1,441 registered voters in the United States about the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 presidential election, employer-paid family and medical leave, and more.

Coronavirus

As the number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the United States continues to rise, nearly one in five Americans (18%) are already experiencing reports of the illness in their local area. Another 45% believe that a future coronavirus outbreak in their area is either “very likely” or “moderately likely.” The level of concern about this situation is high. Nearly half (48%) of Americans are extremely (20%) or moderately (28%) concerned about a coronavirus outbreak in their local area.

One-third (35%) of Americans believe that a coronavirus outbreak in their area is “a little likely,” or “not likely at all;” this percentage is much higher among Republicans (52%) than among Democrats (18%) or Independents (28%).

While only 1% of Americans has or know someone who has coronavirus, 10% say that the pandemic has forced them to change plans, and another third (36%) are taking precautions or changing some of their day-to-day habits. Over half (52%) say that the coronavirus has not yet affected them personally in any way.

Americans are divided over the U.S. government’s current response to the coronavirus outbreak. Nearly half (49%) are either not very satisfied or not satisfied at all with how the government is confronting the epidemic. Most Republicans, however, say that they are completely satisfied with the government’s response (61%). In contrast, only 4% of Democrats are completely satisfied.

Please visit civiqs.com for additional daily updates on Americans’ level of concern about the coronavirus epidemic, and reactions to the government’s response.

The 2020 Presidential Election

With the Democratic presidential primary field narrowing to two candidates, Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden both lead President Trump in a hypothetical 2020 general election matchup. If the presidential election were held today, Sanders would defeat Trump 49%-46%, and Biden would defeat Trump 48%-46%.

Between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, most Democrats say they would prefer a Biden presidency (50%) to a Sanders presidency (37%). Democrats also believe that Biden would be more successful at passing and implementing his agenda if elected president: 61% for Biden to 26% for Sanders.

When deciding how to vote in the November presidential election, over half (55%) of Americans say that health care policy will be extremely important to them. This issue is more important to Democrats than to Republicans, however. Among Democrats, 77% say that health care policy is extremely important, versus only 28% of Republicans.

Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) say that the Supreme Court nomination process is extremely important to them when deciding how to vote in 2020. Unlike health care policy, this sentiment is shared across party lines: the Supreme Court nomination process is extremely important to 75% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 69% of Independents.

Family and Medical Leave

Americans overwhelmingly agree (70%) that employers should be required to offer paid sick leave to their employees. This includes 91% of Democrats, 64% of Independents, and 49% of Republicans. The majority of Fox viewers (52%) also believe that paid sick leave should be required of employers.

Over two-thirds of Americans (67%) think that employers should be required to offer paid maternity and paternity leave to employees with a new child. As with attitudes on medical leave, this is a broadly popular policy idea that meets with minimal partisan polarization. 87% of Democrats, 62% of Independents, and 49% of Republicans all support a policy of requiring paid maternity and paternity leave.

Civiqs surveyed 1,441 registered voters in the United States from March 8-11, 2020. The survey was conducted online, among selected members of the Civiqs research panel. Sampled individuals were emailed by Civiqs and responded using a personalized link to the survey at civiqs.com. The survey results are weighted by age, race, gender, education, party identification, and region to be representative of the population of registered voters in the United States. The general design effect due to weighting is 1.09. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.7% at the 95% confidence level, accounting for the design effect.