Where Democrats and Republicans align and differ on COVID-19 issues

The first year of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States was characterized by sharp partisan differences in public attitudes on a wide range of pandemic issues. But in views of some aspects of COVID-19, there is little, or only modest, partisan difference. Here’s what Pew Research Center surveys have found about partisan views of pandemic issues. 

As the coronavirus pandemic enters its second year, public opinion on the outbreak and its handling continues to be marked by wide partisan divisions. We chose to highlight some of the areas where Democrats’ and Republicans’ views are closer together. All findings are based on surveys conducted by Pew Research Center between September 2020 and February 2021.

Most of the findings here are based on a survey of 10,121 U.S. adults conducted from Feb. 16 to 21, 2021. Everyone who took part in the survey is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way, nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology.

Here are the questions asked in the February survey, along with responses, and its methodology.

Note: Most of these findings are from a February survey; here are the questions asked for that survey, along with responses, and its methodology.

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