Coronavirus: Reopening, Schools, And The Government Response – Key Findings – July 27, 2020:

• Amid a surging coronavirus pandemic and record numbers of new cases in many states, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds most U.S. adults feel the worst effects of the pandemic are yet to come, and seven in ten (including four in ten Republicans) rate the federal government response to the pandemic as fair or poor. The survey also indicates that the pandemic is increasingly taking an emotional toll, with a majority of U.S. adults (53%) saying that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, up from 39% in May.
• With Congress set to consider its next coronavirus relief package, a clear majority of the public across political party affiliation says that top priority should be given to increasing federal funding for efforts to limit the spread of the virus such as testing, contact tracing, and personal protective equipment for essential workers. Most Democrats, and about half of independents and Republicans, also say Congress should prioritize increasing federal support for state and local governments to help schools reopen safely. Large shares of the public also see various measures to bolster individuals’ financial health and increase access to health insurance amid the economic downturn as important things for Congress to tackle, though partisans divide on the priority that should be placed on these measures…
• The latest KFF Health Tracking Poll also finds that more than four months in, the coronavirus pandemic continues to take an economic toll on Americans. Four in ten report trouble affording basic necessities or falling behind on household or medical bills in the past 3 months, including 22% who say they experienced this directly because of coronavirus and its impact on their financial situation, and 17% who say they were experiencing these problems before coronavirus….