Why Aren't More People Wearing Masks To Fight Coronavirus? New Poll Shows Diverging Opinions About Prevention

Most Americans say they are really good about wearing masks when they go shopping but fewer than half say they see other people doing so as Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, Tuesday lamented the upsurge in coronavirus cases across the United States before a House committee.

A Pew Research Center survey of 9,654 Americans indicated 65% say they wear masks all or most of the time and 15% say they wear them some of the time when they visit businesses but just 44% said they see other people doing so all the time and 40% saying they see other people complying with the guidelines 40% of the time. Just 7% say they never wear masks, and 1% say they never see other people wearing them.

“Americans in counties with more reported deaths from the coronavirus when adjusted for population are much more likely to say they wore a mask all or most of the time in stores or other businesses in the past month than those in counties where the death rate can be classified as more moderate or low,” Pew said, with 80% complying in high-impact counties, 67% in medium-impact counties and 55% in low-impact counties.

Fauci noted coronavirus cases are increasing across the country as states attempt to reopen their economies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said wearing masks and social distancing are key to stemming the spread of coronavirus.

The number of daily infections climbed back to 30,000 in recent days. Overall, as of early afternoon Tuesday, the U.S. has confirmed more than 2.3 million infections with deaths approaching 121,000.

Fauci said testing and contact tracing remain critical to containing the pandemic despite calls from President Trump to slow testing to reduce case counts. Fauci, CDC head Robert Redfield, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn and Assistant Health Secretary Adm. Brett Giroir told lawmakers they had never been ordered to slow testing.

“None of us have ever been told to slow down on testing. ... In fact, we will be doing more testing,” Fauci said.

Trump, however, told reporters he’s not kidding.

With Trump appearing in public maskless, the issue has become highly politicized with just 53% of Republican and those leaning Republican saying they wear masks most or all of the time versus 76% of Democrats. Among conservative Republicans, the proportion drops to 49% while among liberal Democrats, the percentage rises to 83%. There is also a racial divide, with 80% of Asians saying they wear masks all or nearly all of the time, compared with 74% of Hispanics, 69% of Blacks and 62% of whites.

Education also was a factor with 76% of college graduates more likely to wear masks, compared with 60% of those with no degree while Americans over the age of 65 were more likely to wear masks than younger Americans, 74% compared to 66% of those 50 to 64, 61% for those 30 to 49 and 62% for those 18 to 29.

The survey was conducted June 4-10.

Fauci rejected the notion that racism played a role in the virus’ toll on the Black and Hispanic communities, saying the economic level and jobs that force people to go out into the community rather than work from home in front of the computer accounts for the disparities.

Fauci did offer lawmakers a glimmer of hope. He said he still thinks a vaccine will be available early next year.