NPR Poll: As Coronavirus Spreads, Fewer Americans See Pandemic As A Real Threat

In the face of the coronavirus worsening across the U.S. and reordering the daily life of millions of Americans, fewer people view the pandemic as a real threat, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. 

Just about 56% of Americans consider the coronavirus a "real threat," representing a drop of 10 percentage points from last month. At the same time, a growing number of Americans think the coronavirus is being "blown out of proportion." 

The differences between political parties are stark, with a majority of Republicans saying it is overblown and the vast majority of Democrats considering it a legitimate threat. 

"Since the pandemic has taken root and grown in the United States, Democrats and Republicans are now poles apart," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion. 

"The consequences of these differing perspectives are shaping how people are responding to calls for action." Overall, fewer than half of U.S. adults are changing behaviors such as eating from home more often or canceling plans to avoid crowds, as recommended.