Most Americans think worst of coronavirus pandemic is yet to come, poll finds

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A COVID-19 disaster morgue consisting of refrigerated trailers sits at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Half of Americans believe the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is still to come as officials warn of a harsh winter ahead and the United States set a record for daily deaths from the virus.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey released on Friday found that 51% of Americans say the worst of the epidemic is yet to come, while 25% say the worst is already over. Nineteen percent of respondents say the pandemic is not and will not be a major problem.

Health officials are reporting more than 17.2 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States, most of all countries, and the country topped 300,000 deaths this week, with the death toll now exceeding 310,790.

Amid rising cases, the survey found that 68% of Americans, the most since the foundation began asking the question in February, are very or somewhat worried that they or a family member will get sick from the disease. COVID-19. Democrats are almost twice as likely as Republicans to be worried about the illness of themselves or their family, 83% versus 46%.

While Americans fear contracting the virus, they continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines and face covering recommendations. Almost three-quarters, 73%, of Americans say they wear a mask every time they leave their homes, a 21 point increase from a May survey. The same percentage believe wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s responsibility.

Among political parties, Democrats are the most likely to wear masks, with 87% saying they always wear a mask outside their homes, compared to 71% of independents and 55% of Republicans. Republicans are divided over responsibility for wearing a mask, with half saying it is everyone’s responsibility to help protect the health of others and 45% saying wearing a mask is a personal choice.

As the United States begins mass immunizations, the survey found that most adults, 70%, say they can continue to follow social distancing guidelines for six months or more, or until that a vaccine be widely available to the public. Seventy-five percent of respondents said they could follow the guidelines for another four to six months, and 9% said they would not follow social distancing restrictions at all.

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