Poll: 20% of Americans Say They Have Lost Friendships over Coronavirus Disagreements

One-in-five Americans say they have lost friendships over disagreements on the Chinese coronavirus, a daily YouGov survey updated Friday found.

The daily question surveyed 5,219 U.S. adults on August 5 and asked, “Have you lost any friendships because of differences in opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic?”

Twenty percent of respondents said they have, 68 percent said they have not, and 11 percent indicated they remain unsure.

When broken down by party lines, nearly one-quarter of Democrats, 24 percent, said they have lost friendships, compared to 15 percent of Republicans.

The survey comes as politicians begin to alter their rhetoric toward unvaccinated Americans, the majority of whom, surveys suggest, do not plan to get the jab.

This week, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) scolded unvaccinated Marylanders, accusing them of “willfully” putting others in danger. He also labeled them as a threat to freedoms in the state.

“I don’t care what misinformation or conspiracy theories that you have heard,” he said, wholly dismissing their concerns. “The plain and simple fact is that these vaccines are working.”

“Those of you who refuse to get vaccinated at this point are willfully and unnecessarily putting yourself and others at risk of hospitalization and death,” he continued, attempting to instill fear by warning that it “may be only a matter of time until you do get COVID-19.”

“You are the ones threatening the freedoms of all the rest of us — the freedom not to wear masks, to keep our businesses open, and to get our kids back in school,” he said, demanding them to “just get the damn vaccine.”

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Similarly, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) bragged this week about dividing people further and taking action against the unvaccinated, forcing indoor restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues to discriminate against them by barring their entry.

“We know human nature. A lot of people hearing there’s a requirement or requirement coming respond to that. It’s normal. It’s natural. The voluntary phase was great,” he said.

“[It] went on for seven full months, lots of incentives, lots of dialogue, lots of communication, lots of opportunity to talk to your doctor or pediatrician,” the Democrat added. “The voluntary phase is over.”