TOGETHER, ALONE

Almost 90% of Americans think coronavirus stay-at-home orders are ‘responsible’ despite large protests

Kassidy Vavra, News Reporter

Published: 20:53, 24 Apr 2020
Updated: 21:57, 24 Apr 2020

Protesters hold signs calling for Wisconsin to re-open

NEARLY 90 percent of Americans think stay-at-home orders are "responsible" amid the coronavirus pandemic – despite protests that have sprung up across the country, a new poll shows.

Protesters have gathered across the nation as they call for the end of stay-at-home mandates, claiming that the orders are an overreach of their constitutional rights as some call them "tyrannical."

Wisconsin protesters hold signsCredit: Reuters

A protester holds a sign at a Wisconsin demonstrationCredit: Reuters

Crowds of protesters gather outside the Capitol building in Madison, WisconsinCredit: Reuters

In a new survey from , 86 percent – nearly nine out of ten Americans – said that ‘social distancing and stay-at-home orders are responsible government policies that are saving lives’.

Comparatively, 14 percent of Americans indicated they believe stay-at-home orders constrict personal liberty, reported.

At 72 percent, a majority of Americans also said that they fear moving too quickly when lifting stay at home orders.

Far fewer people said they worry about it taking too long when lifting lockdowns, at 27 percent, the survey showed.

A majority of Democrats said that they are more worried about moving too fast, at 92 percent, while just eight percent said they are concerned over lockdown lifts not being quick enough.

Republicans were split: 53 percent indicated concern at easing measures prematurely, while 47 percent said they fear them moving at a sluggish pace.

If stay-at-home mandates were lifted, just one in five Americans said they would go out in public places tomorrow.

The new poll results also showed that eight in ten people in the U.S. fear getting coronavirus, ABC reported.

Survey results showing most Americans think stay-at-home are "responsible" came as protests continue across the U.S.

Experts have cautioned that , and cause virus cases to spike again.

A health care worker stands in front of protesters in ColoradoCredit: Reuters

Hundreds of people gather in Washington to call for stay-at-home orders to endCredit: Reuters

A person carries a Trump flag while riding a horse during a protest in AlabamaCredit: AP:Associated Press

People stand in protest outside Duval County Courthouse in FloridaCredit: AP:Associated Press

People gather to protest shutdowns in WashingtonCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Protesters calling for the end of virus lockdowns crowd at the state Capitol in WashingtonCredit: Reuters

Protesters in at least 20 states have gathered on state Capitols, in streets or in front of official's houses as they call for the end of lockdowns.

The organization Reopen said in a statement: "Government mandating sick people to stay home is called quarantine. However, the government mandating healthy citizens to stay home, forcing businesses and churches to close is called tyranny.”

Protesters have demanded for businesses to be allowed to re-open, saying that the mandates are harming the economy and causing people to lose their jobs.

Since the beginning of virus lockdowns, more than 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment – including 4.4 million that filed in the just the past week.

Some of the demonstrators have been met with counter-protests, however, as healthcare workers including doctors and nurses faced off with them.

Healthcare workers in made headlines , and an when she faced off with demonstrators.

President Trump previously , calling to "liberate" several states under lockdown in a series of tweets.

Trump said last week when announcing a three-step plan for re-opening the country that as many as .

At least a dozen states have already , including , , Georgia, and .