More Americans believe lockdowns caused more harm than good: poll
Thomas McDonald
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A new Scott Rassmussen poll found that a majority of voters believe that government-imposed lockdowns to combat the spread of the coronavirus did “more harm than good.”
“Looking back over the past year, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good,” Rasmussen said Monday. The survey found that 36% disagree and 17% are not sure.
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Rasmussen said the number of Americans who feel lockdowns did more harm than good was up from May when most voters took the opposite view.
“The current totals include 32% who Strongly Agree that the lockdowns did more harm than good and 17% who Strongly Disagree,” Rasmussen said.
Among party lines, Republicans overwhelmingly view lockdowns as more harmful than good, with 88% while 49% of Independents also agreed. Meanwhile, 52% of Democrats took the opposite view.
The poll found that Democrats were more split by race than any other political affiliation. Most White Democrats, 58%, rejected the idea that lockdowns did more harm than good. However, most Black Democrats said that lockdowns did more harm than good, with 51%. Among other Democrats, 56% think the lockdowns did more harm than good.
Rasmussen surveyed 1,200 registered voters between August 20 to 22.
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Government-imposed lockdowns were widespread across the country during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Many Governors and local officials imposed stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, and now vaccine mandates to combat the spread of the virus.
Many Americans protested lockdown orders amid various high-profile Democratic politicians seen violating their own orders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.