Marylanders Are Divided Over Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions, Poll Finds
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Marylanders are divided over the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in various parts of the state over the past month, according to a recent Goucher College poll.
The poll asked 635 adults who reside in Maryland about how state and local officials—as well as the Centers for Disease Control—have handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also inquired about the pace at which COVID-19 mandates and restrictions are ending.
The poll, conducted March 1–6, probed Marylanders about their concerns about whether they or their family members might contract the deadly virus.
Many Maryland residents support the lifting of restrictions. The poll shows that about 44% of them view the pace at which local jurisdictions are moving to end them, along with removing mask mandates, as "about right."
But 28% of residents think the pace to end all restrictions in their local jurisdiction is moving "too quickly," according to the poll.
Meanwhile, 25% of Marylanders say the process is moving "too slowly" for them.
They were divided on their level of concern about contracting COVID-19 too.
The poll shows that about 53% of those polled were "very" or "somewhat concerned " about contracting the virus or their loved ones contracting the virus.
But 47% of those polled said they were "not at all" or "a little" concerned about catching the virus and about their family members catching the virus, according to the poll.
Last year, a Goucher College poll showed that 71% of those polled were "very" or "somewhat" concerned about getting the virus while 29% were "not at all" or "a little" concerned.
Overall, state residents generally approve of the way state and local leaders have handled the pandemic, poll data shows.
Local health departments (71%) and Gov. Larry Hogan (70%) earned the highest approval from Marylanders, according to poll data.
Poll data shows that Hogan earned his highest statewide approval on his handling of the pandemic (82%) in October 2020.
A majority of state residents also approve of how the Maryland Department of Health (68%), their local elected officials (66%), and the Democrats in the Maryland General Assembly (58%) have handled the pandemic, according to poll data.
Residents are more divided in their evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control though. Poll data shows that 55% of those polled approve of the job the CDC has done in handling the pandemic and 42% disapprove.
"As we enter into the third year of the pandemic, our results suggest that Marylanders are ready for a return to 'normalcy' and support their local jurisdictions ending the remaining mandates and restrictions," Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, said. "Getting COVID-19 remains a concern for many Marylanders, but the level of concern has waned."
Out of those people interviewed by pollsters, 593 Maryland adults identified as registered voters. There's a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.