The Hot Mess Press is sharing the voices of those who participated in a recent, informal survey regarding our current national crisis. Sadly, if I were to have typed “current national crisis” in February, it might have referred only to coronavirus. Now, I’m afraid it refers to much more, including a devastating economic, family and social crisis as well. Allowing people an opportunity to share their opinions was the main goal of a recent coronavirus survey.
I’ve determined that the best way to share the opinions of the coronavirus survey participants is to post each question, followed by a brief explanation of what people had to say on that particular issue. While respondents were free to answer “yes” or “no” on numerous questions, they were also told ahead of time that they could elaborate at will.
Coronavirus survey question 1
Do you believe the U.S. Government did the right thing when it initially recommended a volunteer self-shelter in place when the coronavirus first entered this country?
The nearly unanimous response was that, “yes” the U.S. Government did the right thing by recommending volunteer shelter in place at the onset of the situation. Every respondent mentioned the fact that so much was “unknown” at the time, which made the recommendation a wise choice. One participant said she did not believe it was necessary but accepted it as a prudent decision. Several people highlighted that it was only a just decision because it was recommended on a volunteer basis, and multiple responses said it should not have lasted anymore than 14 days.
Coronavirus survey question 2
Do you believe state governors did the right thing when they invoked police powers to order quarantines in their states?
The majority of participants answered with an emphatic “no,” expounding their thoughts by adding that this is a free country and healthy people should not be forced to stay in their homes because of coronavirus. Four people (one of whom resides in the United Kingdom) agreed that the governors made fair and wise decisions, two of them emphasizing that there was still a lot unknown and conflicting information was being published.
Coronavirus survey results are mixed regarding business shut downs
When asked, “Do you believe state governors did the right thing when they shut down ‘non-essential’ businesses?” there were mixed responses. Numerous cornonavirus survey participants not only stated they believe it was an unfair decision, but that it is the direct cause of economic devastation across the country. One person said that since the governors were forcing businesses to close, it’s better to close non-essential businesses than essential ones.
However, most participants mentioned that they would like to know who it was that determined which businesses were essential and which were not. A few people said they could understand why the governors might do this for a short time, but that it has gone on far too long and it’s time to get people back to work. The participant from the United Kingdom is the only person who supports (without question) that businesses were shut down and are still shut down.
Re-opening businesses
Most coronavirus survey participants stated that businesses should be immediately re-opened. However, many people stated that they’d be okay with a restricted re-opening, meaning, allowing only so many customers in a store at a time, requiring face masks, etc. Others said business should resume as it was before coronavirus and people should bear the responsibility of staying home if they are ill so as not to place others at risk.
Time to end the quarantine?
Do you think the quarantines should all be lifted now?
The participant from the UK believes the United States should still quarantine. A few participants said governors should lift mandated quarantines but people should shelter voluntarily if they have symptoms of coronavirus or might have been exposed. A couple people said they are worried that if quarantine ends all at once, we might see a sudden increase of cases. Most of the coronavirus survey participants said they believe the quarantine should have ended long ago.
Coronavirus survey responses on testing
Combining questions as to whether every person should have to be tested for coronavirus and whether those who do not show antibodies should have to stay quarantined, participants agreed that it’s nearly impossible to test every person with accuracy, and that no one should be quarantined just because they have not had or been exposed to coronavirus. A majority of respondents cited a high rate of inaccuracy with testing as a problem, but said people can choose to seek testing if it’s available in their area.
Is censorship occurring?
I asked participants if they believe it violates personal rights or is unethical to censor videos that appear to contradict a particular agenda. Every participant stated in his or her own words that, while it is not fair, it has been happening for a long time and it’s not surprising that it’s happening in connection with coronavirus. A few participants questioned whether venues such as YouTube are privately owned and perhaps, are governed by a different set of rules. Each respondent stated that censorship, in general, is a violation of First Amendment rights protected under the U.S. Constitution.
Coronavirus crisis has devastated economy
The coronavirus survey gave participants an opportunity to suggest ways to restore the U.S. economy, which has been utterly devastated by this national (and global) crisis. One person suggested that elected government officials take significant pay cuts and use the surplus to stimulate the economy. Numerous people recommended buying American and patronizing small businesses. Another person mentioned that giving gift cards that support small business might help, but then also suggested it might simply delay the inevitable if a particular business cannot rebound because it has been shut down too long.
One person said she believes the best way to restore the economy is simply to allow us all to return to our pre-coronavirus daily lives. Open the schools, open business and use “hygienic caution” to make responsible decisions.
People believe corruption is at work
Responses were nearly unanimous regarding whether participants believe any person or group has used the coronavirus crisis as a means to gain political or financial profit or to push a certain agenda, such as forced vaccinations. Nearly every respondent said, “Yes,” they believe this is taking place. Many people also stated that they believe the mainstream media is controlled by the people who have corrupt agendas.
Personal thoughts on coronavirus crisis
The end of the survey contained a section where participants could add any personal thoughts they wanted to share. One woman said that, in her heart, she wants the quarantine to last forever because her husband is a recovering cancer patient and she fears he would not survive coronavirus. However, she also said she knows that this would not be a logical solution to the problem.
Numerous participants stated that their faith in God is getting them through, and that they believe trusting in His divine plan is the best thing we can all do at this time. Several people mentioned that coronavirus is serious and can be fatal to a select group of people, but statistics show it is nowhere near as deadly as the media and others had predicted it might be.
Several people said they are older and have lived their lives but they grieve for what their children will have to face in the future because of the decisions political officials have made in the present. One man wrote that while there might have been better options, he thinks leaders did the best they could do based on what they knew at the time.
Overall consensus
I sent out coronavirus surveys to approximately 50 respondents who expressed interest in taking part. This simple survey was a great way to spark amicable discussion on important topics that are currently affecting each one of us. Many participants expressed gratitude for being given an opportunity to share their thoughts.
The overwhelming majority of people adamantly stated that they believe mandated quarantines were an egregious government overreach. A majority of participants also said that living in a free country means adults are free to make their own decisions regarding health, lifestyle, business and more. There was a general consensus that once such rights are restricted or stripped away, we are no longer free. A majority of participants also said officials should base decisions on facts and statistics not projections or predictions.
I found it interesting that the few people who agreed with state-mandated quarantines or keeping businesses closed are each people who are either in a high-risk group themselves or have a loved one who is. Thank you, to all who participated in the survey! If you have additional thoughts to share, visit this post on our Hot Mess Press Facebook page and add your opinions to the comment box!
