Janelle Irwin Taylor
A majority of Tampa Bay residents think social distancing should continue indefinitely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic regardless of impacts to the economy, according to a poll by the Tampa Bay Partnership in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, United Way Suncoast and the USF Muma College of Business.
A survey found 58% of residents want social distancing measures to be in place even if it means businesses will suffer and jobs will be lost.
Respondents are not taking advantage of new openings either, according to the poll. Only a third of residents said they had visited a friend or family member since statewide orders began lifting May 4. Just 30% reported shopping inside a retail outlet and far fewer engaged in other newly opened activities, which includes dining.
Hair and nail salons show the lowest engagement with just 10% of respondents taking advantage of those services since they reopened. Only 11% have gone to the beach, 14% to a restaurant, 18% to a public park and 19% to a doctor’s or dentist’s office.
More than a quarter of respondents (27%) said they haven’t engaged in any of the newly permitted activities.
Nearly three quarters of residents (73%) believe a vaccination is necessary to reopen the economy, but only 54% would be “very likely” to get the vaccination for themselves as soon as it became available.
In another contradiction, 61% of respondents said contact tracing was “very important” to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but only 23% of residents strongly supported the use of anonymous GPS tracking to do that. Another 28% strongly opposed using GPS data.
“We’re seeing a lot of mixed messages from the public right now, but given the circumstances, it’s really not a surprise,” said Rick Homans, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership.
“This is an unprecedented event and people are generally overwhelmed by the situation. They’re hearing conflicting messages from government leaders and public health officials. They’re worried about their jobs and uncertain about the future. We’re facing a long road to recovery and this is just the beginning.”
Additional findings include:
— 49% of residents remain “very concerned” about the virus, but concerns about finding food and supplies dropped 17% over the last six weeks.
— The number of people worried about losing their job has gone up 13% in the last two weeks.
— Among those who have already lost jobs, 48% have applied for unemployment assistance, but only 22% received it.
— 24% of newly unemployed residents have sought rent or mortgage deferrals, 23% have received food from a food bank and 22% have postponed filling a prescription to cut household costs.
Downs & St. Germain Research in Tallahassee conducted the survey among a demographically representative group of 384 adult residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties.
The poll was conducted May 13-15 and has a 5% margin of error.
One comment
JustTheTruthPlease
May 22, 2020 at 10:18 am
Most people are only interested in themselves, but many who don’t care about jobs and the economy, have no idea how this country works. Jobs and he economy are what pay the taxes to keep the governments running. No jobs, no pay, no taxes, NO PENSIONS,NO SOCIAL SECURITY, no police, no firemen. Everything closes and we will all be on breadlines (if there is any bread to be had.)
We must open to survive. Social distancing will be part of the lifestyle, until this pandemic passes.
To those who want contact tracers, I don’t believe too many of them even know what the hell that is. They have heard politicians calling for it, and the media calling for it. But, I don’t believe most know what it is.
Problem with many polls is: Who are they polling? And, how are the questions framed?
Polls can be rigged, to get the answers the poller wants to get. I rarely trust polls any more.
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