Abstract
Objectives: COVID-19 is the most challenging public health crisis in decades in the United States. It is imperative to enforce social distancing rules before any safe and effective vaccines are widely available. Policies without public support are destined to fail. This study aims to reveal factors that determine the American public support for six mitigation measures (e.g., cancel gatherings, close schools, restrict non-essential travel). Methods: Based on a nationally representative survey, this study uses Structural Equation Modelling to reveal the relationships between various factors and public support for COVID-19 mitigation. Results: 1). Democrats are more likely than Republicans to support mitigation measures; 2).Favorability towards the political leader (Biden or Trump) can slant public support for COVID-19 mitigation measures among different segments of the public.; 3). Indirect experience, rather than direct experience with COVID-19 can motivate people to support mitigation; 4). Concern for COVID-19 is a strong motivator of support for mitigation. Conclusion: Political polarization poses an enormous challenge to societal well-being during a pandemic. Indirect experience renders COVID-19 an imminent threat.
Highlights
COVID-19 has emerged as the most challenging public health crisis in decades, against the backdrop of intensifying polarization in the American public
A rapidly growing research has revealed a politically driven cleavage existing in American public response to COVID-19 in terms of risk perceptions and engaging in social-distancing behaviors
Drawing insights from the literature on framing theory, elite cues, construal level theory, and the Protective Action Decision Model, this study contributes to this research agenda by examining how political attitudes, socio-demographic characteristics, concern for COVID-19 and experience with the pandemic influence public support for a series of COVID-19 mitigation measures
Summary
COVID-19 has emerged as the most challenging public health crisis in decades, against the backdrop of intensifying polarization in the American public. Ever since its outbreak in the Spring of 2020, COVID-19 has infected tens of millions of Americans and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the United States [1]. Being confronted with this unprecedented public health crisis, the American public is divided on various facets of COVID-19. Liberals are more concerned about COVID-19’s impact on public and personal health, U.S economy, one’s financial situation, and local community, compared to conservatives [2]. This public division on risk perceptions of this pandemic reflect in
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