Majority Of Americans Satisfied With Trump’s Response To Coronavirus, But Support National Quarantine

Americans generally approve of President Donald Trump‘s handling of the coronavirus pandemic but believe more could be done to stop the spread of the virus, a recent poll showed.

The Morning Consult/POLITICO poll found that 25% believe Trump is doing an “excellent” job handling the virus and 17% said he is doing a “good” job, and another 13% said he is doing a “fair” job. However, 39% polled said he is doing a “poor” job.

Hardly anyone surveyed (only 3%) thought the Trump administration had gone too far in its response to the virus — including temporary travel bans, declaring a national state of emergency, sending navy ships to areas most affected and issuing social distancing guidelines.

About 40% said the administration is doing the right amount, while 45% said the administration needs to do more.

The poll comes just as Trump announced he plans to have the country up and running again by Easter, though experts have cautioned the virus will still be prevalent by then. Further, if Americans return to crowded workplaces or venues, coronavirus cases will likely spike.

“I give it two weeks,” Trump said during a Fox News town hall, suggesting he is eager to end his 15-day self-isolating guidelines. “I guess by Monday or Tuesday, it’s about two weeks. We will assess at that time and give it more time if we need a little more time. We have to open this country up.”

Asked about why he chose Easter, Trump said: “I thought it was a beautiful time. A beautiful timeline.”

Avoiding crowded areas and practicing social distancing is critical to “flattening the curve” and ensuring that the healthcare system does not become overwhelmed and unable to perform, as it did in Italy after coronavirus cases surged.

In direct contrast to Trump’s hopes of reopening the country, a separate Morning Consult poll, conducted March 20-22, found that the majority of Americans would actually support a national quarantine.

The survey found that about 3 in 4 voters would support a national quarantine in which only essential travel would be permitted. An order like this would be similar to national lockdowns that Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom have all ordered in response to the pandemic.

The support for a lockdown is bipartisan: 81% of Democrats, 72% of Republicans and 69% of independents all favor the idea.

Article by Katherine Huggins