Changing perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic over a year of University of Texas Polling
With the release of the February 2021 University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, the Texas Politics Project makes its fourth assessment of Texans’ attitudes about the coronavirus pandemic. The time series allows reporters, researchers, elected leaders, public health officials, and the public a view of how Texans’ concerns about COVID, behaviors during the pandemic, and evaluations of the official responses have changed throughout nearly a year of polling.
We’ve presented the results below with little commentary, but bookmark the page as we'll be updating as we create new trend graphics for the many results we've compiled over the last year. To jump to a section of results, click on the link below. For a look at all of the results from the most recent poll, jump to the latest poll page. All of the polling data, including toplines, crosstabs, data files, code books, and full methodology statements, can be found in the data archive. Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
About the polls: Each poll samples 1200 self-identified registered voters in the state of Texas. The data is weighted to the known characteristics of registered voters of Texas from the 2018 Current Population survey and 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey. The margin of error of the weighted data for the full sample of registered voters is +/- 2.8 percentage points, with higher margins of error for subgroups. For a full explanation of the poll, see any one of the recent methodology statements available in the data archive.
About the graphics: A link below each graphic leads to a downloadable, shareable, embeddable version of that graphic. Lines can be turned off by clicking on their values in the legends at the bottom of each graphic, which allows for some customization when downloading.
In addition to these items, asked across multiple polls, many other items about the coronavirus pandemic have also been asked in the four polls conducted since April 2020. In addition to all of the polling data available in the data archive, graphical representations of all COVID related results can be found through the polling search.
In each of the surveys, Texas voters were asked to rate their assessment of the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, their degree of concern about community spread, and their concern about contracting COVID (or someone they know contracting COVID). Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
Seriousness Assessment
by Party
by Race
Community Spread Concern
Personal Spread Concern
Containing COVID vs. Helping the Economy
Coronavirus Seriousness Assessments
Respondents were asked, "Would you say that the coronavirus/COVID-19 is..." and given the response options "a significant crisis," "a serious problem but not a crisis," "a minor problem," "not a problem at all," and "Don't know/No opinion."
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Coronavirus Seriousness Assessments by Party
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Coronavirus Seriousness Assessments by Race
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Respondents were asked, "How concerned are you about the spread of the coronavirus in your community?"
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Respondents were asked, "How concerned are you about you or someone you know getting infected with the coronavirus?"
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Containing COVID vs. Helping the Economy
Respondents were asked, "What do you think is more important...Trying to help control the spread of the coronavirus, even if it hurts the economy OR Trying to help the economy, even if it hurts efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus?"
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In each of the surveys, respondents were asked to describe their activity levels during the pandemic, what social distancing practices they are engaging in, and to assess the safety of engaging in a range of activities. Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
General Behavior
by Party
by Race
Social Distancing
Safety of Different Activities
In the February 2021 survey, Respondents were asked, "Thinking about how you and your family are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, which of these best describes you these days?" In April, June, and October 2020 polling, respondents were asked, "As you may know, many Americans have been told to stay home if they can because of the coronavirus pandemic. Which of these best describes you these days?"
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Respondents were asked, "Which of the following measures, if any, are you taking in response to the coronavirus/COVID-19?" The specific activities were described thusly: "Staying away from large groups," and "Wearing a mask when in close contact with people outside your household."
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Safety of Different Activities
Respondents were asked, "Regardless of the current restrictions in your local area, do you think it would be safe or unsafe for you to..." and then provided a list of activities, including: Go to work; Fly on an airplane; Eat at a restaurant; Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium; Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena; Go to a movie theater; Attend church; Send your child to school; Go grocery shopping; Go to a bar or club; Go to a gym or health club; Stay in a hotel; Go to a shopping mall; and Get a haircut.
| February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 78% | 80% | 72% |
| Get a haircut | 66% | 66% | 59% |
| Go to work | 65% | 64% | 55% |
| Stay in a hotel | 62% | 62% | 50% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 55% | 56% | 49% |
| Send your child to school | 55% | 45% | 35% |
| Attend church | 48% | 50% | 41% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 48% | 49% | 36% |
| Fly on an airplane | 40% | 39% | 27% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 40% | 41% | 30% |
| Go to a movie theater | 38% | 37% | 27% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 37% | 35% | 29% |
| Go to a bar or club | 30% | 28% | 23% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 29% | 29% | 21% |
| Among Republicans | February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 88% | 93% | 84% |
| Go to work | 84% | 83% | 77% |
| Get a haircut | 83% | 84% | 81% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 77% | 79% | 75% |
| Send your child to school | 77% | 73% | 58% |
| Stay in a hotel | 76% | 77% | 63% |
| Attend church | 75% | 77% | 70% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 70% | 71% | 55% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 60% | 62% | 48% |
| Go to a movie theater | 60% | 56% | 43% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 59% | 56% | 48% |
| Fly on an airplane | 55% | 57% | 43% |
| Go to a bar or club | 51% | 46% | 38% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 48% | 49% | 35% |
| Among Democrats | February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 66% | 68% | 58% |
| Get a haircut | 49% | 47% | 34% |
| Go to work | 45% | 44% | 32% |
| Stay in a hotel | 45% | 46% | 35% |
| Send your child to school | 31% | 14% | 9% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 29% | 30% | 21% |
| Fly on an airplane | 21% | 18% | 9% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 21% | 24% | 15% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 17% | 17% | 10% |
| Attend church | 17% | 20% | 10% |
| Go to a movie theater | 14% | 17% | 10% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 12% | 12% | 9% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 7% | 8% | 5% |
| Go to a bar or club | 7% | 8% | 6% |
| Among White Voters | February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 82% | 85% | 75% |
| Get a haircut | 73% | 74% | 65% |
| Go to work | 71% | 71% | 62% |
| Stay in a hotel | 68% | 69% | 56% |
| Send your child to school | 64% | 55% | 42% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 62% | 64% | 54% |
| Attend church | 53% | 57% | 48% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 53% | 55% | 40% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 45% | 49% | 34% |
| Fly on an airplane | 44% | 45% | 30% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 42% | 41% | 34% |
| Go to a movie theater | 41% | 41% | 31% |
| Go to a bar or club | 35% | 32% | 25% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 32% | 34% | 26% |
| Among Black Voters | February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 70% | 72% | 70% |
| Go to work | 52% | 51% | 42% |
| Stay in a hotel | 49% | 45% | 43% |
| Get a haircut | 48% | 48% | 41% |
| Send your child to school | 39% | 27% | 23% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 38% | 39% | 34% |
| Attend church | 35% | 33% | 27% |
| Fly on an airplane | 33% | 33% | 23% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 33% | 36% | 36% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 33% | 29% | 18% |
| Go to a movie theater | 29% | 30% | 27% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| Go to a bar or club | 21% | 25% | 20% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 19% | 21% | 14% |
| Among Hispanic Voters | February 2021 | October 2020 | June 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go grocery shopping | 73% | 74% | 61% |
| Get a haircut | 58% | 56% | 54% |
| Go to work | 57% | 53% | 47% |
| Stay in a hotel | 52% | 52% | 40% |
| Eat at a restaurant | 49% | 48% | 41% |
| Send your child to school | 45% | 28% | 24% |
| Attend church | 41% | 40% | 32% |
| Go to a shopping mall | 40% | 37% | 30% |
| Fly on an airplane | 33% | 24% | 22% |
| Go to a movie theater | 33% | 30% | 19% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium | 31% | 29% | 24% |
| Go to a gym or health club | 28% | 23% | 20% |
| Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena | 24% | 20% | 12% |
| Go to a bar or club | 18% | 16% | 18% |
Respondents were asked, "Do you approve or disapprove of how each of the following is handling the coronavirus/COVID-19?"
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