Poll: Majority say they think the pandemic is getting better

A majority of voters say they think the coronavirus pandemic is getting better, though far less say the same about the economy, a new Hill-HarrisX poll finds.

Fifty-seven percent of registered voters in the March 12-14 survey said they think the pandemic is getting better, while 12 percent said they think it is getting worse and 31 percent said it’s about the same.

By contrast, a plurality of respondents – 39 percent – said they think the economy is about the same, while just a third said it is improving and 28 percent said it’s getting worse.

Sixty-three percent of Democrats, 58 percent of Republicans and 51 percent of independents said the pandemic is looking up, as infection rates and hospitalizations continue their steady decline across the country.

Meanwhile, Democrats were more likely to say they think the economy is improving, with about half of Democrats, 22 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of independents holding that view.

The survey follows passage of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill signed by President Biden earlier this month and as the country reached 100 million vaccinations administered.

In his first prime-time address as president, Biden touted efforts to ramp up vaccinations and signaled hopes of being able to safely hold small gatherings with friends and family on the Fourth of July.

The Hill-HarrisX poll was conducted online among 2,818 registered voters. It has a margin of error of 1.85 percentage points.

—Gabriela Schulte