Poll: Majority of Americans Confident Government Can Prevent Nationwide Epidemic of Coronavirus

Vice President Mike Pence, center, along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, and CDC Dir
AP Photo/Gaston De Cardenas
Kyle Morris

A majority of Americans feel confident that the federal government can prevent a nationwide epidemic of novel coronavirus, according to a new poll conducted by SSRS for CNN.

While many of those surveyed view President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus negatively, with 48 percent stating they disapprove and 41 percent stating they approve, a 49 percent majority said the federal government has done a good job preventing the spread of coronavirus. Another 43 percent said they feel as though the federal government is doing a poor job.

As for the confidence in the federal government from respondents, 57 percent of those surveyed say they feel “very or somewhat confident” that the government can prevent a nationwide epidemic of novel coronavirus, while 41 percent stated they feel “not too confident or not confident at all.”
From the poll, CNN noted:
A majority of Americans (55 percent) say it is at least somewhat likely that someone in their local community will be infected with novel coronavirus in the next few weeks.
Residents of the Northeast (65 percent) and West (59 percent) are most apt to say the virus will likely be in their communities in the next few weeks, while those in the South (53 percent) and Midwest (46 percent) are a bit less likely to say they see a local infection on the horizon.
About 6 in 10 who live in urban areas (61 percent) or suburban ones (58 percent) say they think a local infection is likely, compared with just 37 percent of rural dwellers.
Overall, 68 percent say they feel prepared to deal with an infection of coronavirus should it strike them or someone in their family, though only about a quarter (24 percent) say they feel very prepared for such an infection.
The poll, which was conducted from Wednesday through Saturday, also questioned Americans on whether we should admit those traveling from areas with a substantial outbreak. The results found that 65 percent of respondents want the government to screen travelers who are symptomatic and admit those who are not. A mere 31 percent said those traveling from highly affected areas should not be admitted whatsoever.
The CNN Poll was conducted via phone with a live interviewer by SSRS from March 4, 2020, through March 7, 2020, and included a random national sample of 1,211 adults. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.3 percent.

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