Pandemic Fear – 48% of Florida Voters Believe Worst Is Yet to Come

Forty-Eight (48%) of Florida’s likely voters say they fear the worst of the pandemic is still to come, while 26% feel the worst is past us, and another 26% say they are unsure.

Heading into flu season, which is expected to compound efforts to fight the pandemic, both women and men fear the worst is yet to come by roughly the same margin at 47% and 49%, respectively. In terms of party breakdown, 45% of Likely Republican Voters think the worst is behind us, while only 8% of Democrats feel that way.

Health is outweighing the economy in terms of the biggest threat from COVID-19, as likely Florida voters are more worried about how the pandemic impacts their personal health, as opposed to how the pandemic impacts them economically. 56% cited personal health as the biggest threat from the pandemic vs. 41%, citing a negative impact on their own personal economic situation. Those views held in terms of national impact, with 54% of all those polled saying they are more worried about how the coronavirus health threat affects the country, compared to 43% who are more concerned about the national threat economy as a whole.

In terms of mask wearing, 43% wear a mask at all times, even in private. 47% have a more relaxed view–they wear them either not to offend others or take them off as soon as they are socially distant. Another 10% don’t wear masks unless they have to.

Data released earlier shows that former Vice President Joe Biden narrowly leads President Donald Trump in the race for Florida’s 29 Electoral Votes. However, the race is close enough that a strong Republican turnout could lead to a victory for the president.