Voters favor a strident approach to the coronavirus within U.S. borders

Should the U.S. take a hard line on the threat of coronavirus? The answer could be yes. Americans appear to favor a strident approach.

A hefty majority of U.S. voters — 70% — say the government should “quarantine people in the United States who have recently been to China”; 77% of Republicans, 58% of independents and 64% of Democrats agree — along with 65% of women and 65% of men.

Another 53% of voters overall now say that the government should deny entry to any “foreigner” who has been diagnosed with coronavirus; 60% of Republicans, 50% of independents and 46% of Democrats agree — along with 50% of women and 53% of men. The source is a wide-ranging Economist/YouGov poll of 1,300 registered U.S. voters conducted Feb. 2-4

Concern is rampant elsewhere. A new IPSOS poll of 8,000 people in eight major nations including the U.S. revealed that close to nine out of 10 respondents say the coronavirus poses a threat. Across the board, 54% say the virus poses “a high or very high threat to the world” while a third deem it a “moderate threat.” An additional 12% say the virus is of a lower threat.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Northern Command is preparing for a “potential pandemic” ; both the Navy and Marine Corps have issued service-wide messages for “prudent planning” in the matter.

The White House in a statement noted that over 14,000 people traveled to the U.S. each day from China in fiscal year 2019 — and suspended entry for “all aliens” who were in the People’s Republic of China as of Jan. 31. Measures were also taken for “necessary and appropriate” medical screening and “quarantine” as warranted.