Skip to main content

COVID-19, State Efforts

State Spotlight October 3, 2020

Published On October 3, 2020

By: Joanna Dornfeld

Share

USofCare Releases 2020 Voter Action Guide

As we enter the home stretch of this election amid the worst public health crisis in a hundred years, health care remains among voters’ top priorities. The American people are counting on candidates to offer practical solutions to both their immediate challenges and the long-term gaps in our health care system.

This week, United States of Care released its 2020 Voter Action Guide to engage, educate, and empower voters in the run-up to Election Day.

USofCare’s 2020 Voter Action Guide and 2020 Candidate Guide (released last month) offer key messages for candidates to consider as well as key questions for voters to ask prior to casting their ballot this fall.

We are, not only sharing these important resources with you, but also asking for your help

  1. Share the Voter Action Guide and Candidate Guide in your networks.
  2. Tweet or Retweet the Voter Action Guide and Candidate Guide.
  3. Invite USofCare to present the Voter Action Guide or Candidate Guide at an event you host.
  4. After you cast your ballot, be sure to add our “I Voted!” digital sticker to your social media profiles. You can download the image here.

Public Opinion Roundup – Voters worried about risk, their kids and vaccines.

Voters remain concerned about the risk of a COVID infection.

  • 72% of Americans now say they are concerned that they or someone they know will be infected, compared to 77% in late July. [ABC News/Ipsos]
  • Mask use continues to receive strong support, with 79% of likely voters believing that masks or face coverings are effective in slowing the spread of the virus. This is split by political affiliation, with 96% of Democrats supporting mask use, 78% of independents, and 60% of Republicans. [Quinnipiac]

School reopenings remain a priority issue for parents as well as their kids’ mental wellbeing.

  • Among parents who have a child in school, 34% say there has been a virus scare or outbreak in their school district, up 22% from last week. [Axios/Ipsos, Wave 25]
  • Currently, 64% of parents are sending their children to school virtually, a percentage which has climbed since August. [Axios/Ipsos, Wave 25]
  • Parents are concerned about the emotional health of their children participating in distance learning, with 37% reporting worsening emotional health. [Axios/Ipsos, Wave 25]

Voters willingness to obtain a vaccine continues to decline.

  • The number of Americans reporting that they will get a coronavirus vaccine continues to decline. In early May, 74% said they would receive a vaccine, if it were effective. Today, 64% say they will do so—a drop of 10 percentage points. [ABC News/Ipsos]
  • Americans are looking to members of the public health community to validate vaccine efficacy. 62% would trust Dr. Anthony Fauci and 61% would trust the CDC to confirm safety. [ABC News/Ipsos] Americans would also trust their doctor (62%) and the FDA (54%). [Axios/Ipsos, Wave 26]
  • Most Americans expect to pay nothing out of pocket for the eventual vaccine. 38% of those polled said they expect their health insurance to cover the cost, while 11% said they expected the federal government to do so. A third of those polled said they would not be willing to pay anything out of pocket. [Axios/Ipsos, Wave 26]

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].