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COVID-19, State Efforts

State Spotlight August 1, 2020

Published On August 1, 2020

By: Joanna Dornfeld

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New resources to help you manage during the COVID crisis.

Public Opinion Roundup – Rising Concern About Infection and Loss of Income and Increased Support for Safety Measures Such as Mask Use

Americans are feeling more concerned about the Coronavirus given the increased infection rates over the last two months. This is translating to increased support for safety measures, such as mask use, but we still see divisions along political lines. USofCare is monitoring public opinion data from a variety of sources to share the most pressing information to inform policy makers’ decision-making. Clear, consistent information about how people can keep themselves and their loved ones safe is needed in order to stem the spread of the virus.

  • Rising COVID cases elicit concern and increased mask use, while people engage in more public life.
    • Concern about the possibility of becoming infected with coronavirus is increasing again, with three-quarters of Americans saying they are “somewhat” or “very” concerned. [ABC News]
    • 76% of Americans believe the country should continue social distancing practices and 72% support face mask requirements. 44% believe we will need to continue social distancing for the next six months or more. [Morning Consult/Politico]
    • Americans see the worsening pandemic as a result of other peoples’ behavior (75%) and 94% rate their own behavior as making the pandemic better. [Axios]
    • However, nearly half of the country had seen friends or family in the past week (44%), and that among those who had, only one-in-five reported wearing a mask at all times or maintaining a distance of six feet (20%). [Axios]
    • Similar to June, Americans are relatively comfortable engaging in individual activities such as going to work (78%), getting a haircut (67%), staying in a hotel (51%), or eating at a restaurant (54%). [ABC News]
    • However, comfort level around crowded social activities has declined: 27% expressed discomfort with going to a bar, a gym (28%), a movie theater (27%), a sporting event (22%) or attending a protest (17%). [ABC News]
  • There is growing concern about the risk of becoming infected with coronavirus and people are feeling more stress.
    • 60% believe the worst is yet to come, compared to 20% who believe the worst is behind us. These numbers have worsened, from 50% and 28% respectively in May. [KFF]
    • Growing concern about the virus has led to worsening mental health outcomes. Most (53%) respondents noted that worry and stress around the pandemic is taking a toll on their mental health. This is also up from May, when 39% of respondents felt the same. [KFF]
  • Despite support for delayed school reopening, Americans are concerned about the impact on parents’ ability to earn income.
    • The majority of parents with kids in school (60%) support delaying in-person reopenings, even if it means students miss out on academics and social services. 34% expressed the belief that it would be better for schools to reopen sooner so that parents can return to work, even if there is some risk of infection.[KFF]
    • However, many worry about the possibility of losing income if they are unable to go to work (51%). [KFF]
    • 40% reported having trouble affording basic necessities or falling behind on household or medical bills in the past three months. [KFF]

USofCare Webinar: Realities of Eldercare During COVID-19

Featuring:

  • Rebekah Alexander – USofCare Voices of Real Life; Assistant Director, Yale Alumni Fund
  • Alexandra Drane – USofCare Entrepreneurs Council; CEO & Co-Founder Rebel Health/ARCHANGELS
  • Nick Loporcaro – USofCare Entrepreneurs Council; CEO Landmark Health
  • Megan O’Reilly – Vice President of Government Affairs AARP

Hosted by:

  • Natalie Davis – Managing Director, USofCare
  • Nancy LeaMond – Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, AARP

We’ve witnessed the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable populations including those with chronic conditions and the elderly. In this webinar, brought to you with support from AARP, we will bring expert perspectives to our audience through the lens of provider, advocates, and caregiver.

Join us on Thursday, July 30 at 2pm ET for Realities of Eldercare During COVID-19, an interactive Q&A webinar. Sponsored by AARP.

USofCare Continues to Advocate for Contact Tracing – Congressional Sign-on Letter of Business, Medical and Service Groups

“Our commitment to the public health of our communities and the nation requires people to feel safe enough to resume economic, educational, religious, and social activities. It will be difficult to get to that point if we are unable to ensure the safety of people across the country.” Read the letter here.

The letter supports USofCare’s updated recommendations for what Congress should prioritize in the upcoming COVID relief package including $500 billion for state and local governments as well as $75 billion for contact tracing, testing and isolation efforts across the country. These recommendations are built from USofCare’s comprehensive set of federal recommendations released in April, informed by our Board and Founder’s Council, the private sector advisors serving on our Entrepreneurs Council, our work listening to people across the country and guided by public opinion research. Many of our proposals were included in the pandemic response legislation passed earlier this year. Click here to learn more about all of our July recommendations to Congress.

Other USofCare Resources:

Join Our Team! USofCare Career Opportunities

We are seeking talented individuals to join our team to lead our communications and media work and lead our people-centered research and community engagement. Joining our team means opportunities for career growth, mentorship, and collaboration with and learning from renowned leaders in U.S. health care policy. At every level we value and prioritize inclusion and diverse perspectives. Seeking unity over uniformity, we pay attention to the diverse interests, abilities, needs, and backgrounds of every employee and strive to create an environment where everyone is heard and feels that they belong. We are currently recruiting for the following positions. Learn more here.

United States of Care COVID Rapid Response for State Leaders

USofCare’s mission to ensure that every single American has access to quality, affordable health care has never been more important than in the current public health crisis. We have been providing immediate support for state and federal government and public response needs, leveraging our expertise (including our Board and Founder’s Council), capacity, network and resources to support effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams of USofCare’s staff are researching and responding to incoming requests, which can be sent to [email protected].