HPU POLL: N.C. REGISTERED VOTERS SEE CORONAVIRUS AS MAJOR THREAT TO STATE, U.S. AND WORLD ECONOMIES

HIGH POINT, N.C., July 27, 2020 – High Point University Research Center:  A new High Point University Poll finds large majorities of North Carolina registered voter

s see the coronavirus as a major threat to the U.S. economy (79%), the world economy (79%), the North Carolina economy (75%) and the health of the U.S. population (62%).

Only a little over one-third of these registered voters said the coronavirus is a major threat to their personal health (37%) and to their personal financial situation (35%).

When asked how much of a risk to their health and well-being certain activities are right now, the majority of registered voters in North Carolina said attending a sporting event (76%), dining in at a restaurant (66%), taking a vacation (61%), shopping at retail stores (61%), going to salons, barber shops, or spas (58%), going to the grocery store (56%), and attending in-person gatherings of friends and family outside your household (53%) were either a large or moderate risk.

Activities that majorities of these same registered voters say are a small risk or no risk include having food delivered to your home (72%) and picking up take out from a restaurant (65%). Registered voters in North Carolina were nearly split on whether or not returning to their normal place of employment was a large or moderate risk (39%) or a small or no risk (44%).

The actions that the majority of registered voters feel are effective in keeping them safe from the coronavirus include washing your hands with soap or using hand sanitizer frequently (87%), avoiding contact with people who could be high-risk (81%), avoiding public spaces, gatherings, and crowds (65%), avoiding airplanes (63%), avoiding hospitals and clinics (59%), seeing a doctor if you feel sick (57%), wearing a face mask (54%), and praying (50%). And just under half of those responding said avoiding restaurants (46%) and seeing a doctor if you feel healthy but worry that you were exposed (38%) were also very effective actions to keep them safe from the virus.

The HPU Poll also asked registered voters how much they trust a variety of sources of information about the coronavirus. The majority said they trusted their physician (65%) a lot. Other sources of information that respondents trust a lot were the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (48%), local public health officials such as officials from their county health department (41%), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (36%), the World Health Organization (36%), and their close friends and members of their family (25%).

Registered voters also indicated there were several sources they don’t trust at all including contacts on social media (49%), national newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today (39%), national news networks like Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC (35%), coworkers, classmates, or other acquaintances (34%), their local newspaper (31%), their local TV news (28%) and public television and radio (27%).

“Registered voters in North Carolina expressed in the most recent HPU Poll that washing their hands with soap or using sanitizer and avoiding contact with people who could be high-risk are very effective ways at keeping them safe from coronavirus,” says Brian McDonald, associate director of the HPU Poll and adjunct instructor. “Our poll respondents also said attending a sporting event, dining out, or taking a vacation present the largest risk right now to their health and well-being.”

Registered Voters – Coronavirus Threat (June/July 2020)

How much of a threat, if any, is the Coronavirus outbreak to each of the following?  Would you say a major threat, a minor threat, or not a threat?

More information: http://www.highpoint.edu/blog/2020/07/hpu-poll-n-c-registered-voters-see-coronavirus-as-major-threat-to-state-u-s-and-world-economies/