91% of Americans Fearful of Public Spaces and Ongoing Impact of COVID-19

Ninety-one percent of Americans are worried about being in public as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Given the speed and scale at which the virus is spreading, it is almost surprising to see that number anywhere under 100%. Since just the first week of March, levels of concern have jumped 27%.CivicScience data show palpable levels of anxiety over a host of tangential COVID-19 issues. High on the list, in addition to public spaces and the rapid spread, has to do with the economy. Again, the near majority (91%) of Americans say they are concerned about the state of the economy when the dust begins to settle.

When it comes to the disease itself, almost half of Americans (47%) are worried about personally contracting it.Seventy-two percent are concerned about getting access to testing and screening should they exhibit symptoms. And they are even more concerned (75%) about getting access to treatment should they contract COVID-19 and require medical attention as a result. Considering the lengths some U.S. regions are going to create more hospital beds, it is no wonder the average American is concerned about what their care might look like.

For some, it is more a matter of cost. More than half of Americans expressed concern over out-of-pocket costs related to testing for COVID-19. The outbreak has undoubtedly laid financial burdens on individuals and their families: 43% of adults say their job has been impacted in some way, and 54% expressed concern over their employment situation in general.

And it makes sense: an earlier report from CivicScience noted drastic cancellations of major events, the repercussions of which will be extreme for business and personal life.

Although many people are no longer going on vacation – or have decided not to plan one – some people still have to do some kind of traveling. This could be for any number of reasons: to take care of family in a different town or state, or for work as an “essential” employee. Possibly as a result of the systems and procedures in place across the country, almost a quarter of Americans still feel safe traveling amidst the pandemic.It is important to keep perspective in times like these, which is why CivicScience will continue to report on what we find and especially what we might be able to anticipate from the future.