Political leanings impact pandemic fact perception, poll finds

That’s what the Economics of Recovery Study is finding. Gallup and Franklin Templeton have been expanding their survey – at this point, they've talked to 35,000 Americans.

The results: where someone stands on the political spectrum impacts their view of the pandemic in many ways. Not only is their interpretation of behavior and policy preferences related to the virus affected – such as whether they support mask mandates and curfews and practice distancing – but also the interpretation of facts.

Republicans consistently underestimate risks, while Democrats overestimate them.

An example of this is related to hospitalization rates.

Forty-one percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Republicans answered that half or more of those infected with coronavirus need to be hospitalized. In reality, that number is much lower – an estimated 1 to 5 percent of people who have COVID-19 wind up in the hospital. When it comes to knowing the correct information, a quarter of GOP members and only 10 percent of Democrats were correct.

Meanwhile, left-leaning voters are more likely to correctly understand that the virus can spread from people who aren’t showing symptoms, and they’re also more likely to accurately assess the mortality risk.

Gallup conducted several smaller surveys within the group, providing partisan, opinion-based information to some people while fact-based information to others, and then measured how people reacted to policies and if their behavior changed.