Poll: 3 in 4 favor continued social distancing

Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans questioned in a new poll said they are in favor of continued social distancing to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, despite multiple states starting to reopen parts of their economies.

In the Politico/Morning Consult poll of registered voters, 73 percent of respondents said that they are in favor of continued social distancing, while 15 percent said that it should be ended to help the country’s flailing economy, even if it contributes to the further spread of COVID-19. 

Only 19 percent of voters said that they believe social distancing will end in the next two months.

Since President Trump released guidelines for states to reopen their economies, several governors have rolled out benchmarks of their own that they want their state to meet before businesses can start to reopen. Some businesses in Texas, Georgia and South Carolina have reopened in recent weeks. The businesses that have reopened are still being held to social distancing guidelines.

Voters in the new poll are also wary of a second wave of the pandemic, with 79 percent saying that they think one is very or somewhat likely. Nine percent said that it’s unlikely. 

Health experts have repeatedly warned of a second wave, especially in the absence of a working vaccine for the virus, which isn’t expected to be available until 2021.

“Even as elected officials consider reopening local economies, voters are bracing for a second wave of the virus,” Tyler Sinclair, vice president for Morning Consult, said. “Though open signs may return, consumers may be slow to.”

The poll of 1,991 registered voter was conducted April 24-26. It has a margin of error of 2 percentage points.