Ballot: Democrats are extra fearful concerning the coronavirus than Republicans

A brand new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll has revealed sharp partisan divides between Individuals over the coronavirus pandemic.

The ballot discovered 68 p.c of Democrats are fearful that somebody of their household may catch the virus, whereas simply 40 p.c of Republicans and 45 p.c of independents share that concern.

The gulf in notion over an outwardly nonpolitical problem underscores how indicators from politicians and media shops have performed a important function in shaping how critically Individuals are taking a viral outbreak that has overwhelmed health care systems and triggered mass quarantines in a number of international locations world wide.

Almost 80 p.c of Democrats consider the worst is but to come back, however simply 40 p.c of Republicans and 57 p.c of independents consider that. Total, 53 p.c of all voters are involved that somebody of their rapid household may contract the coronavirus, and 60 p.c consider the worst is but to come back.

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The ballot additionally discovered 56 p.c of Democrats consider their day-to-day lives will change in a significant method sooner or later — whereas simply 26 p.c of Republicans maintain that view.

In response to each query about whether or not a respondent would change plans that might expose them to others, like journey, consuming out at eating places, and attending giant gatherings, Democratic voters persistently responded affirmatively at a lot increased charges than Republicans. For instance, 61 p.c of Democrats stated they’ve stopped or plan to cease attending giant public gatherings, however solely 30 p.c of Republicans stated the identical.

The partisan disconnect shouldn’t be on account of a lack of understanding amongst conservatives or a perform of not listening to a lot concerning the outbreak in sure areas of the nation. NBC studies that 99 p.c of respondents stated they’ve seen, heard, or learn concerning the unfold of the coronavirus and 89 p.c say they’ve heard “rather a lot” about it — the very best share that certainly one of their polls has discovered for a significant occasion since 2009.

The extra seemingly clarification is that, as with so many different points, individuals with completely different political ideologies eat completely different varieties of data and take cues on how to consider occasions from completely different political figures and establishments. On condition that President Donald Trump and media establishments that cater to conservative audiences, like Fox Information, have been downplaying the difficulty from day one, it’s not stunning that Republican voters will not be almost as alarmed as Democrats.

Nonetheless, because the virus spreads and extra individuals know somebody affected, the standard partisan divides won’t maintain.

Coronavirus has been politicized

Ever because it has been clear that the US was vulnerable to a critical outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Trump has frequently downplayed the dangers it poses and dragged his toes on coverage responses that might assist comprise and mitigate the unfold of the virus. Reporting signifies that he has accomplished this partly as a result of he’s worried about the political damage that might accompany treating the scenario as a full-blown disaster.

As Vox’s German Lopez has explained, Trump has underplayed what’s at stake on many events:

Trump himself has tweeted comparisons of Covid-19 to the frequent flu — which [director of the Harvard Global Health Institute Ashish] Jha describes as “actually unhelpful,” as a result of the novel coronavirus appears to be much worse. Trump additionally called considerations concerning the virus a “hoax.” He said on national television that, primarily based on nothing greater than a self-admitted “hunch,” the loss of life charge of the illness is way decrease than public well being officers projected.

And Trump has rejected any accountability for the botched testing course of: “I don’t take duty in any respect,” he said on Friday.

Jha described the Trump administration’s messaging as far as “deeply disturbing,” including that it’s “left the nation far much less ready than it must be for what’s a really substantial problem forward.”

Trump additionally downplayed the difficulty by initially declining to get tested for it regardless of shut contact with individuals who examined constructive for the virus final week. He additionally by no means self-isolated regardless of being vulnerable to carrying the virus and spreading it to others (public well being consultants say it’s doable to unfold the virus even if you’re not showing symptoms).

Trump did ultimately get examined days after his publicity — and on Saturday, the White Home doctor said the take a look at was detrimental. However his habits stood in stark distinction to Republican politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who has self-quarantined after studying he got here in touch with individuals who have examined constructive for the coronavirus. Cruz studies he’s presently displaying no signs.

Conservative information shops like Fox Information have additionally promoted skepticism of the seriousness of the coronavirus as a critical well being hazard as a part of an effort to protect the Trump administration from criticism. Listed here are just some examples, through progressive watchdog Media Matters:

– Fox prime-time host Sean Hannity claimed individuals are faking concern about coronavirus simply to “bludgeon Trump with this new hoax.”

– On her Saturday night time present, Fox host Jeanine Pirro downplayed the chance that the coronavirus is extra lethal than the flu, arguing that “that’s solely as a result of there’s a flu vaccine” and if not for the vaccine, “the flu could be a pandemic.” Pirro someway drew the conclusion that which means that “the speak about coronavirus being a lot extra lethal [than the flu] doesn’t mirror actuality.”

– Fox host Pete Hegseth downplayed the affect of coronavirus: “I really feel just like the extra I find out about this, the much less there’s to fret about.”

– On Hannity, Fox Information medical correspondent Marc Siegel stated that the “worst case situation” with coronavirus is that “it could possibly be the flu.”

Different outstanding right-wing commentators like radio persona Rush Limbaugh have painted coronavirus fears as a ploy to stop Trump rallies.

Messaging from Trump and hard-right information shops like Fox Information has diverged from the consensus amongst scientists and public well being consultants world wide who’ve indicated coronavirus is a critical well being hazard that would easily overwhelm the US health care system and kill millions of Americans if not taken critically by the federal authorities.

Whereas mainstream and liberal media shops have targeted on pleas from the general public well being and scientific communities concerning the critical dangers posed by the coronavirus, some conservative shops and the Trump administration have gone the alternative method. And that in flip has led to a niche between liberals and conservatives on how critically to take it.

Specialists say that by the point everybody takes it critically, it could be too late to mitigate dangers.