Many key policies to stop the spread of COVID-19 were generally a good idea, according to most Americans

In a recent report posted on the Harvard University website, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation presented findings from a national survey they conducted to gauge public opinion on policies related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

About the study

In the current study, researchers shed light on the thoughts and opinions of American adults regarding the emerging pandemic based on a survey conducted between March 21 and April 2, 2024.

Researchers surveyed 1,017 individuals in English and Spanish via phone and online. Panelists were randomly selected using address sampling (ABS) frames and random-digit (RDD) samples from SSRS surveys. Most panelists took the survey online, while a small subset who did not have internet access took the survey over the phone.

The researchers evaluated the effectiveness of four policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: mask use, vaccination of health workers, closure of food and beverage stores, and school closures. They invited participants to express their opinions on these policies and identify the primary reasons for their negative impact.

They examined participants' attitudes toward the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state public health agency, and the local public health department. They asked participants whether the measures taken by these agencies were appropriate, excessive, or inadequate. The survey also asked participants about the seriousness of COVID-19 for public health in the United States and their views on COVID-19 policies.

The researchers weighted the sample data based on the probability of selection and recruitment, response rates and demographic characteristics to address non-sampling errors that may arise from non-response bias, question phrasing and order effects. They used procedures such as random sampling, contact efforts, replicated sub-samples and systematic respondent selection within households for sample representativeness.

Result

Looking back, most Americans view four pandemic-related policies positively, with different percentages of people considering each a favorable idea: requirements for wearing masks in businesses and stores (70%), vaccinating healthcare workers (65%), indoor dining at restaurants (63%), and closing schools (56%).

Most Americans (79%) believe one or more of the COVID-19 measures were good for public health, with 42% saying all four measures were great ideas and 37% thinking only some of them were good. Nearly 20% of U.S. adults believe all four programs were very bad ideas in retrospect.

Most subgroups, including rural residents and Republicans, believe that one or more of the four COVID-19 policies were retrospectively favorable for population health. Democrats (71%) were more likely than Republicans (18%) and independents (44%) to rate all policies favorably, as were Blacks (62%) and Hispanics or Latinos (55%) compared to white individuals (32%), and urban residents (55%) compared to those from suburban (39%) and rural (29%) backgrounds.

Some Americans believe COVID-19 policies are not a good idea, due to concerns about their longevity (84% to 87% for COVID-19 policies), political motivations (60% to 81%), economic impact (68% to 91%), and apparent lack of individual choices (75% to 94%). Participants considered school closures an unfavorable idea because it would negatively impact children’s psychological health (91%) and learning (97%).

Americans have varying views about the severity of the initial threat of COVID-19. Only 3.0% of Americans believe it is not a primary health concern, while many believe it is a primary threat to everyone, including the elderly (14%) and people with existing medical problems (94%). About 37% of people initially considered COVID-19 a primary health concern for everyone. Those who believe the threat of COVID-19 was prevalent from the start were more likely to support necessary pandemic legislation.

intent

The findings suggest that public support for COVID-19 measures is strong and also serve as a cautionary tale about the difficulties in formulating and explaining policies. Public healthcare officials may benefit from right-sizing strategies that target high-risk individuals over a specific time frame.

Even though population health groups cannot choose which policies are implemented, it is still beneficial to discuss the epidemiological rationale behind them and consider their social and economic implications.

Separating population health guidelines from local and national politics will remain a primary challenge; however, efforts to understand public perspectives and connect with receptive individuals on all sides will be critical to ensuring that all U.S. residents benefit from public health protections in emerging epidemics.