Covid 19: Polarization and the Pandemic in the US

How are Americans coming together as we face the common threat of COVID-19? Who are we turning to in this crisis? Who are we grateful for? With this study More in Common surveyed how COVID-19 is impacting Americans’ perceptions of unity, division, gratitude, trust, and on how we should respond to the pandemic.

Key Takeaways

• Fears for America’s health and of an economic depression are widespread.
  • 70% are scared about the American people’s health, a larger share than are scared about their own family’s health (63%).
  • Fully 77% of Americans now believe that an “economic depression” is more likely than not (probability at 5 or higher out of 10, where 10 is ‘extremely likely’). Partisan differences exist, with more Democrats (88%) than Republicans (62%) believing it likely. 
• However, the shared experience of COVID-19 is increasing Americans’ perception of unity. These represent significant shifts from previous waves of research conducted by More in Common.
  • Ninety percent of Americans believe that “we’re all in it together”, compared to just 63% in the fall of 2018. The total share of Americans who describe the country as unified has grown from 4% in 2018 to 32% today, while the percentage of Americans who regard the country as “very divided” has dropped from 62% to just 22%. Almost half of Americans (46%) say that America now feels more united than before the pandemic and 82% say that we have “more in common than what divides us”. 
• Americans of all backgrounds see workers on the front line of the pandemic as “heroes”.
  • Most believe (84%) that our doctors, nurses, and hospital staff “deserve to be considered as heroes” and similar numbers (71%) express the same toward police, firefighters, and emergency medical teams.
  • A majority (83%) of Americans are “more grateful” to medical professionals and 76% are “more grateful” for grocery store staff. 
• The “Wings” are not experiencing the same pandemic. While Progressive Activists are anxious and pessimistic, Devoted Conservatives are significantly less concerned. Tensions around media and national identity also persist.
  • Progressive Activists are three times as likely (59%) as Devoted Conservatives (17%) to think it is “likely” that they will “become ill with the coronavirus” and twice as likely (80%) as Devoted Conservatives (40%) to say that it’s “likely” that someone they know “becomes ill with the coronavirus”.