New Poll Looks At How Bay Staters Are Reacting To COVID-19

Virus Outbreak Nursing Homes — In this March 6, 2020, photo, an information sheet on the new coronavirus is posted in the lobby of the South Shore Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center, in Rockland, Mass. The new coronavirus is posing a special challenge for nursing homes and other facilities that provide care for the elderly. Staff members are trying to strike a balance between protecting a particularly vulnerable population from illness and allowing their loved ones to visit.

Arjun Singh is a producer for Boston Public Radio. A California native, Arjun moved to Boston to study international relations at Boston University. Prior to working at WGBH, Arjun worked at a tech company and for a political campaign.

March 25, 2020

Updated August 07, 2023

For many, the halt to public life due to the spread of COVID-19 came abruptly. Within a week, for some, every major sports league suspended their seasons indefinitely, restaurants closed and offices ordered employees to stay at home. In response to the outbreak, MassInc conducted a tracking poll, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, to gauge public sentiment about COVID-19 within Massachusetts.

Steve Koczela, president of MassInc Polling Group, said Wednesday on Boston Public Radio that unlike other polls the firm has conducted they found public sentiment surrounding COVID-19, and its response, to be dynamic.

The poll also found that the perception of COVID-19 as a genuine threat appeared to be increasing among the public, and that around half of respondents believe the crisis will last multiple months.

“On each one of those we’re seeing at least some level of increase in the perception that it’s a very serious threat,” Koczela said. “Almost nobody thinks that we’re going be out of this in less than a month. For the most part, the expectation is that this is something we’re going to be at for a while.”