Poll: 72% of Americans say reopening economy too soon is ‘risky’
roups of protesters have been taking to the streets to demand their states be reopened, but not all citizens agree.
A woman holds up a sign as she gathers with others outside the Missouri Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders and urge the reopening of businesses closed in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus Tuesday, April 21, 2020, in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:26 AM PT — Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Groups of protesters have been taking to the streets to demand their states be reopened, but not all citizens agree.
A recent poll by Axios and Ipsos found 72 percent of Americans believe hastily reopening economies would be a ‘moderate’ or ‘large’ risk to their health. In order to stay healthy 92 percent said they were staying home as much as possible and appear to be adapting well to current circumstances.
Nearly 10 times more people ordered take out than went out to eat and 40 percent more people said they video chatted with friends and family instead of visiting them.
A large concern keeping people inside is the access to health care. With hospitals overloaded with infectious patients, 30 percent of people reported having more difficulty seeing a doctor in the last week.
A cyclist delivering food stops at an intersection in the East Village neighborhood of New York, on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Many restaurants in New York City have converted to delivery and take-out orders only as people are encouraged to stay home. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Many are fearing they cannot protect the physical well being of their families.
“My family has prepared to be at home until at least August or September,” Jordan Lanfair, a Chicago resident. “Even if it was lifted sooner than that, we wouldn’t be out.”
However, not all states are facing the same level of severity and residents in states with fewer active cases have said they are tired of restrictions.
“And I think that’s just one way of somebody articulating how some of these measures seem more for control then protection and that they are physically distanced from common sense,” stated Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president. “So I think every state is different.”
According to the poll, people are only more likely to report being afraid for their health in the states with the most cases. Nearly half of residents in California, New York and New Jersey — each considered epicenters for outbreaks — reported returning to normal was a “large” risk.
Comparatively, less than a third of people in Texas and Florida agree. For some who believe there is a danger, the risk may be worth avoiding economic catastrophe.
President Trump has announced he will leave the decision to reopen economies to state officials, which may allow residents in states like Georgia to return to work and keep residents in states such as California inside.