The 51在线 and Nielsen today announced the results of a statewide survey of Floridians to assess public opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the findings of the USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey on COVID-19 governance and policies:
Public concern remains high. A majority agree with a statement that they are personally concerned (52.2%) or are concerned about someone they know (76.6%) contracting the novel coronavirus in the next three months.
Public concerns are justified, but worries remain about response. While a near universal number of respondents (86.5%) agree that public concern related to the coronavirus is justified, worries also persist about the public reaction. Four in 10 individuals surveyed agree that public reactions to the pandemic will do more harm than the disease itself.
Strong support for statewide mitigation policies, including face mask requirements. Healthy majorities of individuals surveyed report support for the state closing restaurants and bars (88.9%), limiting public gatherings (94.3%), limiting gatherings in houses of worship (87.4%), issuing 鈥渟tay at home鈥� orders (86.2%), closing beaches and other public recreation areas (81.6%), fining individuals who violate 鈥渟tay at home鈥� orders (62.2%), instituting nightly curfews (62.9%) and requiring individuals to wear masks in public places (79.3%).
State and local governments gain more approval and trust than the federal government鈥檚 response. A plurality of Floridians (48.9%) approve of the federal government鈥檚 response to the coronavirus pandemic. Approval of the federal response is 2.5% lower than state government and 20% lower than local government. A majority of individuals surveyed (54.9%) also trust the federal government 鈥渁 great deal鈥� or a 鈥済ood amount鈥� to provide accurate information about the pandemic. Trust in federal information is 8.3% lower than that for state government, and 21.7% lower than that for local government.
Majority approve of and trust the state government鈥檚 response. A majority of Floridians (51.5%) approve of state government鈥檚 response to the coronavirus pandemic. Almost two-thirds of individuals surveyed (63.1%) also trust state government 鈥渁 great deal鈥� or a 鈥済ood amount鈥� to provide accurate information about the novel coronavirus situation.
Robust approval and trust in local government response. Nearly seven in 10 Floridians surveyed (68.8%) approve of their local government鈥檚 response to the coronavirus pandemic. Greater than three-quarters of Floridians (76.6%) also trust their local government 鈥渁 great deal鈥� or a 鈥済ood amount鈥� to provide accurate information about the novel coronavirus situation.
Partisan differences emerge on trust and approval. Registered Democrats are significantly more likely to disapprove (52%) of the federal response to the COVID-19 situation, compared with 10% of Republicans and 35% of Independents/Third Party identifiers. Similarly, 44% of Democrats disapproved of the state government鈥檚 response, compared with 11% of Republicans and 32% of Independents/Third Party identifiers.
The president鈥檚 and governor鈥檚 press conferences matter. Two-thirds of Floridians (66.3%) say the president鈥檚 daily press conferences in April were a source of 鈥渁 lot鈥� or 鈥渟ome鈥� information about the novel coronavirus situation. Greater than six in 10 Floridians (61.4%) report the same about the governor鈥檚 daily press conferences in April.
The survey of 600 Floridians was fielded April 15-24, 2020, and the results are reported with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error +/-4. Full survey results are available here.
USF and Nielsen intend to release a second set of survey data next week focused on economic, consumer and work effects of COVID-19.