The survey, which polled more than 500 people above the age of 18, found that 19 percent of Americans believe they will end up being diagnosed with coronavirus at some point, which is roughly one out of five. In addition, one in ten believe they are already suffering from the virus.
Of course, if you have been exposed to the virus and then develop symptoms such as coughing or breathing trouble, you should call a healthcare provider to seek medical advice right away. A recent study suggested that coronavirus symptoms usually appear within five days.
Although it’s older people who seem to be faring the worst from the illness, younger adults appear to be more worried about it based on this poll. Twenty percent of the respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 and 18 percent of those aged 30 to 45 think they already have it, versus just 3 percent of those aged 60 and above and 9 percent of those aged 45 to 60.
Despite these fears, however, the survey showed that 14 percent of Americans simply aren't concerned about contracting the virus. Nearly half – 45 percent – of respondents say they haven’t reached the point yet where they are scared to venture outside their homes, while 5 percent say they are “very afraid” of heading out.
President Trump stated that the outbreak may last into July or August, and new guidance from the administration advises Americans to refrain from eating and drinking at restaurants and bars, as well as social visits, especially to places like retirement and nursing homes. They’ve also suggested that students engage in schooling from home wherever possible and avoid discretionary travel and groups of more than 10 people.
However, some feel that the recommendations don’t go far enough. Hard-hit countries like Italy and Spain have carried out full shutdowns as they try to keep the death toll down. Some experts believe a full shutdown is the only way to control the situation and that the measures seen so far in the U.S. don’t go far enough.
How do Americans feel about the government’s response to coronavirus?
More than a quarter of the respondents – 27 percent – said they are not at all satisfied with the way the government is handling the situation, with those at both the youngest and oldest end of the age scale reporting the most dissatisfaction. While 28 percent said they are “very satisfied” with how the Trump administration is handling it, the figure for those over the age of 60 is just 14 percent.
There’s also a fair amount of pessimism about how well the world will rebound from this crisis, with 8 percent saying society won’t recover from this until next year at the earliest, and 7 percent believe life will never be the same.
Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of worry, it’s definitely time to prepare for the worst if you haven’t done so already. At a minimum, the CDC recommends that you have a two-week supply of medication, food and other essentials, but given the way things are going down in other countries, it would be better to prepare for a far longer period.
It’s also a good idea to start thinking about how you might be able to work from home and arrange for childcare should your children’s school close. Most of all, keep washing your hands regularly to avoid spreading the disease.
Sources for this article include:
Please contact us for more information.
