{"id":303775,"date":"2020-04-30T16:49:04","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T20:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/?p=303775"},"modified":"2023-11-08T20:21:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T01:21:22","slug":"u-s-public-firmly-opposed-to-reopening-the-economy-immediately","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2020\/04\/u-s-public-firmly-opposed-to-reopening-the-economy-immediately\/","title":{"rendered":"And the survey says, \u2018keep it closed\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t
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\n\t\tAnd the survey says, \u2018keep it closed\u2019\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t
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\n\t\t\tHKS Communications\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/address>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t

\n\t\t\tDespite hardships, U.S. public is \u2018firmly opposed\u2019 to reopening the economy immediately\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n
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This is part of our <\/em>Coronavirus Update<\/em><\/a> series in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring.<\/em><\/p>\n

A majority of people in the U.S. want to continue physical distancing measures, even as the federal government and some state governors are pushing to reopen the economy, according to a new national survey led by researchers from Harvard Kennedy School, Northeastern University, and Rutgers University.<\/p>\n

The survey, published Thursday, also reveals that more people trust scientists and scientific institutions to handle the COVID-19 pandemic than trust federal authorities or news media; and, as state governors take the lead on managing the crisis, they have become more popular among their constituents than President Donald Trump, who has handed much of the individual management over to the states.<\/p>\n

The researchers surveyed almost 23,000 individuals across all 50 states and the District of Columbia between April 17 and April 26. The answers they received revealed that the attitudes of Americans, divided on so many political and social issues facing the country, have united during this unprecedented crisis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study is an attempt to help the public, health experts, and policymakers better understand how people across the country are thinking about, living with, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d said co-author Matthew Baum, Marvin Kalb Professor of Global Communications at Harvard Kennedy School and faculty affiliate at the School\u2019s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. \u201cOur hope is that doing so will contribute to more effective communication with the public and ultimately more effective public policy decision making.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the noteworthy findings of the survey report include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite the financial hardships facing people across the country, 93 percent of Americans do not think the economy should reopen immediately \u2014 even in states that are currently moving in that direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are highly supportive of the social distancing measures \u2014 they\u2019re not ready to reopen the economy yet,\u201d said David Lazer, University Distinguished Professor of political science and computer and information sciences at Northeastern University. \u201cAnd this is pretty much a bipartisan consensus.\u201d<\/p>\n\r\n

\u201cDemocrats and Republicans agree more than they disagree on many aspects of the nation\u2019s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”<\/p>\nMatthew Baum, Harvard Kennedy School<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\n

There are variations based on partisan divisions, as well as by state and by age. \u201cThis survey further illustrates the sizable generation gap at play in America today,\u201d says Harvard Institute of Politics polling director John Della Volpe, a co-author on the study. \u201cAlready stressed and struggling with significant debt, younger Americans (18-44) are far more likely to have lost a job or have had their pay reduced as a result of the virus. Three-quarters are concerned about financial hardship \u2014 compared with a still high 65 percent of 45-64 year olds, and 45 percent of seniors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The survey revealed partisan divisions in regards to how long states should wait before trying to resume business as usual, but in general \u201cDemocrats and Republicans agree more than they disagree on many aspects of the nation\u2019s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d says Baum. \u201cAn important example is the question of reopening the economy. Democrats and Republicans agree that, rather than doing so immediately, as many governors are currently attempting, the nation should wait at least a month before reopening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republicans do tend to support reopening the economy somewhat sooner than Democrats: 11 percent of Republicans wanted to open the economy immediately, 18 percent said in the next two weeks, and 22 percent said after two to four weeks. Only 4 percent of Democrats are in favor of reopening the economy immediately, 5 percent in the next two weeks, and 13 percent said two to four weeks. However, nearly 50 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats favor waiting more than four weeks to reopen the economy.<\/p>\n\r\n

\u201cIn a time when expertise seemed undervalued, Americans in our survey report extremely high levels of trust in experts.”<\/p>\nKatherine Ognyanova, Rutgers University<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\n

Media choices are one factor influencing that response. But it is not the only factor: The virus has not hit every part of the country with the same timing or severity. The survey shows that people living in harder hit areas, like New York, worry most about themselves or a family member contracting the virus.<\/p>\n

Where people get their information and who they trust to provide it may also have an effect, though, in this area again, those surveyed are fairly united.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust in scientists and experts is extremely high, much higher than in governments at any level, despite the pitched partisan battles over science in recent years,\u201d says Baum.<\/p>\n\r\n

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