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.

This edition of our daily tracking release features findings from a national online survey of 1,011 registered voters conducted May 12-May 15, 2020.

Key takeaways

• The share of Americans who believe the “worst is yet to come” continues to tick back up, as a second wave of infection and an economic recession are top worries.
• Americans who do not wear masks are among those with the lowest intention to get vaccinated once possible.
• Americans in urban and suburban areas feel more connected to family and friends during this crisis, while younger Americans are most likely to report a worsening of their mental health.

Disapproval of Trump’s Handling Remains High

56% of Americans continue to disapprove of how Trump is handling the coronavirus pandemic, the highest point in our daily tracking.

• One in five (19%) Republicans now disapprove of how Trump is handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Share Saying “Worst is Yet to Come” Ticking Back Up

More than half say ”the worst is yet to come,” which has increased by 13 points since May 5.

• Republicans are divided on this: 39% say the worst is yet to come, while 41% say the worst is over.

Recession and “Second Wave” Remain Top Worries

A “second wave” of the outbreak and an economic recession remain the top worries that Americans have.

• More than half the country (53%) says they are “very worried” about a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

Anti-Mask Republicans Least Likely to Want Vaccine

The majority of Americans say they would get vaccinated if a vaccine became available for use, but less than half of Americans who do not wear a mask regularly say the same.

• The majority of Republicans (62%) who wear a mask “always” or “most of the time” say they would get vaccinated. However, only 39% of Republicans who don’t wear a mask say they would.

More Say Death Being Underreported than Overreported

Nearly half of Americans believe that deaths are being underreported in the United States.

• Among non-mask wearing Republicans, 51% say that there have been less American deaths than the government is reporting, and 44% of Americans who “strongly approve” of the job Trump is doing as president say the same.

Urban and Suburban Americans Feel More Connected

While a plurality of Americans say that there’s no difference in how connected they feel to their friends and family during this crisis, Americans that live in urban and suburban areas are most likely to say they feel “more connected.”

• Americans in rural areas (45%) and independents (45%) are the most likely to say they have observed no difference in connectedness.

Younger Americans Feeling Mental Health Impact of Crisis Most

While the majority of Americans say they have experienced no change in their mental health during the pandemic, nearly two in five 18-44 year-olds say their mental health has gotten worse.