Americans view the coronavirus as a major threat to the economy more than to their personal health, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Seventy percent of Americans say the virus is a “major threat” to the U.S. economy, compared to 47% who say it’s a major threat to the health of the U.S. population, and 36% who say it is a threat to day-to-day life. When looking at their own well-being, only 34% say the virus is a major threat on their personal financial situation and only 27% view it as a major threat to their personal health.
Almost half of Americans say the coronavirus is a “minor threat” to the health of the U.S population as a whole (45%), day-to-day life (50%), and their own personal health (51%). Just 25% say the virus is a minor threat to the U.S. economy.
As the situation rapidly evolves over the next few weeks, there will be different pieces of legislation offered in response to the crisis. While some Congressional Democrats have tried playing politics with the situation, the president and House and Senate Republican leaders have approached the situation with measured proposals. They’ll need to be united not only in responding to the health crisis, but also in how to help our country’s economy bottom out and begin recovering. Poll numbers will change over the next few weeks as the number of infected Americans rises, but the fear about the coronavirus’s impact on the economy cannot be overlooked by policy makers.
