COVID-19 & Its Impact on Everyday Life: April 24 – 27, 2020
More Americans believe the situation is improving rather than getting worse. Perceptions and concern towards COVID-19 were consistent with last week.
We are now starting to see cracks in consumer intentions to maintain the lockdown. For the first time in 8 weeks of tracking, there were large decreases in the percentage of Americans indicating they were less likely to do essential activities. This includes grocery shopping, visiting convenience stores, and going to pharmacies/drug stores. Fewer and fewer Americans are stocking up on household items.
We continue to see a considerable percentage of Americans who intend to eat out, go to the movies, the gym, and shop as soon as it’s allowed. In contrast, now that some states are re-opening or will be in the very near future, there have been directional decreases in planned immediate participation in some of these activities.
Contact Tracing
This week we asked Americans about the new contact tracing app being developed jointly by Apple and Google. America is divided – equally likely to opt-in or decline participating in the program.
Russell Research has interviewed over 8,000 Americans over the past eight weeks about their coronavirus concerns and its impact on everyday behavior. Our COVID-19 Monitor will evolve in the coming weeks as the situation changes.
Below are our key findings from April 24-27, 2020. Russell Research has tabulated data available for all 8,000+ interviews with several additional questions asked. Please email [email protected] for more information.
Views of the Current Situation
Concern remains high but is continuing to wane. Between April 24-27, nearly nine in ten Americans (88%) indicated that they are concerned about coronavirus, compared to 90% from one week prior.
- The percentage of Americans who are very concerned with COVID-19 has decreased by 9 percentage points in comparison to two weeks ago (52% this week vs. 61% the week of 4/10).
Americans are more likely to believe the worst is behind us. 41% of Americans believe the current situation is getting better, compared to 40% last week. 30% believe the situation is getting worse, compared to 32% last week.
Impact on Behavior
Americans begin to show signs of readiness to shop in-person for essential items.
- 49% of Americans are less likely to go to a large store (-7 percentage points vs. last week)
- 33% are less likely to go to the convenience store (-8)
- 26% are less likely to go to the grocery store (-8)
- 20% are less likely to go to a pharmacy/drug store (-6)
- 62% of Americans are more likely to order online (-1)
- 42% are more likely to stock up on household items (-3)
- 49% are more likely to order takeout or delivery (no change)
- 27% are more likely to have groceries delivered (-6)
- 19% are more likely to have medication delivered (-3)
Most Americans remain less likely to participate in non-essential activities which require close proximity to others.
- 74% of Americans are less likely to go to the movies (no change vs. last week)
- 72% are less likely to dine at a sit-down restaurant (-4)
- 71% are less likely to go to a shopping mall (-4)
- 67% are less likely to go to the gym (no change)
- 64% are less likely to go to a casino (no change)
Returning to Everyday Life
With some states beginning to open, fewer Americans plan to immediately return to a range of activities.
- 41% of gym members will return to the gym as soon as they open/resume business (-4 percentage points since last week)
- 13% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (+1)
- 40% of fast food visitors will dine at fast food restaurants as soon as they open/resume business (-3)
- 15% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (+4)
- 38% of diners will dine at fast casual restaurants as soon as they open/resume business (+1)
- 11% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (-1)
- 36% of diners will dine at sit-down restaurants as soon as they open/resume business (-5)
- 13% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (no change)
- 30% of shoppers will return to shopping malls as soon as they open/resume business (-4)
- 10% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (+1)
- 28% of movie goers will return to movie theaters as soon as they open/resume business (-1)
- 10% will only immediately return provided capacity is reduced (no change)
Contact Tracing
A majority of Americans would not participate in Apple & Google’s joint smartphone app contact tracing program.
- 46% of Americans would opt-in and install the contact tracing app
- 48% of Americans would not opt-in and install the contact tracing app
- 7% of Americans do not have a smartphone or an operating system which can run the app.
