• Polling

As Cases Rises, Majorities Support Various Pandemic Mitigation Efforts

Friday, August 6, 2021 By Bryan Bennett
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Welcome to NAVIGATOR – a project designed to better understand the American public’s views on issues of the day and help advocates, elected officials, and other interested parties understand the language, imagery, and messaging needed to make and win key policy arguments.

Key takeaways

  • Americans now rate the coronavirus pandemic as the top issue Biden and Congress should be focused on.
  • Majorities of Americans support mask mandates and vaccine requirements.
  • Arguing that the country has always had vaccine requirements – including for polio and smallpox – is effective in justifying a vaccine mandate against conservative criticism.

As Coronavirus Case Numbers Rise Again, the Pandemic Returns to Top Priority Over Jobs and the Economy

In mid-July, 41% said Biden and Congress needed to focus most on the economy and 33% said the pandemic; now, 43% say the pandemic and 35% the economy. A majority (54%) still feel the pandemic is what Biden is most focused on.

Majorities Support Their Local Community and U.S. More Broadly Re-Introducing Masking Mandates & Social Distancing

Among independents, three in five (60%) support their local community re-introducing mask mandates and social distancing while 67% support communities with increasing levels of infection doing the same.

Among Those Vaccinated, Three in Five Say They Will Wear Masks Indoors in Public Places Following New CDC Guidance

Almost three in four (74%) say they will wear masks indoors in at least most public indoor settings.

Nearly Three in Five Support Vaccine Mandates

By a 6-point margin, independents support vaccine mandates, as do more than a third of Republicans.

Vaccine Requirements Most Popular in Hospitals and Schools; Mask Mandate in Range of Public Indoor Spaces

At least two in five independents support vaccine requirements in hospitals, schools, the military, planes, and public transit.

Grounding Coronavirus Vaccine Requirements in America’s History of Requiring Vaccines Is Most Compelling

When pitted against a conservative argument that requiring vaccinations is a violation of personal freedom, language that mentions historical vaccine requirements such as for smallpox and polio is more effective than language about vaccine efficacy, even though both are effective.

About The Study

This release features findings from a national online survey of 1,000 registered voters conducted July 29-August 2, 2021. Additional interviews were conducted among 110 Hispanic voters, 105 African American voters, 100 independents without a partisan lean, and 79 Asian American and Pacific Islander voters.

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About Navigator

In a world where the news cycle is the length of a tweet, our leaders often lack the real-time public-sentiment analysis to shape the best approaches to talking about the issues that matter the most. Navigator is designed to act as a consistent, flexible, responsive tool to inform policy debates by conducting research and reliable guidance to inform allies, elected leaders, and the press. Navigator is a project led by pollsters from Global Strategy Group and GBAO along with an advisory committee, including: Andrea Purse, progressive strategist; Arkadi Gerney, The Hub Project; Joel Payne, The Hub Project; Christina Reynolds, EMILY’s List; Delvone Michael, Working Families; Felicia Wong, Roosevelt Institute; Mike Podhorzer, AFL-CIO; Jesse Ferguson, progressive strategist; Navin Nayak, Center for American Progress Action Fund; Stephanie Valencia, EquisLabs; and Melanie Newman, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

For press inquiries contact: press@navigatorresearch.org