Most Americans think COVID-19 is getting worse

Candice JaimungalSocial Media Contributor
June 29, 2020, 12:12 PM GMT+0

COVID-19 cases have continued to rise in the United States and President Donald Trump has seen the lowest approval rates for handling the pandemic since it began. Most Americans think things are getting worse, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll.

A majority, 68 percent, of Americans believe the United States has handled the coronavirus badly, compared to 57 percent on June 2, 2020 and 60 percent on May 14, 2020. About four in 10 (41%) Americans say Trump is going a “good job” in handling the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, mask wearing is divided along political lines. Republicans (59%) are more likely than Independents (40%) and Democrats (24%) to say it is a personal choice to wear a mask. In addition to the party divide, the gender divide on face masks is also evident. About half (52%) of women say they always wear a facemask, compared to 40 percent of men. Democrats (93%) are more likely than Republicans (69%) to rely on the guidance of health professionals when deciding whether to wear a mask.

A majority (85%) of Americans say testing is important and more than 40 percent feel the government is trying to limit the number of tests.

About four in 10 (39%) of Americans believe states have moved too quickly in reopening the economy. 34 percent of Americans report they are still very concerned about themselves or a family member getting coronavirus.

Methodology: This CBS News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 2,009 U.S. adult residents interviewed between June 23-26, 2020. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as 2016 presidential vote and registration status. The margin of error is ± 2.6 points.

See the toplines from this week's CBS News/YouGov Poll

Image: Getty

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