Poll: Only 11 percent of Californians want to end shelter-in-place in response to virus

Pedestrians walk next to signs advising people to maintain distance behind a road closure sign blocking a stretch of The Great Highway next to Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Pedestrians walk next to signs advising people to maintain distance behind a road closure sign blocking a stretch of The Great Highway next to Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Photo: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Photo: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Poll: Only 11 percent of Californians want to end shelter-in-place in response to virus 1 / 28 Back to Gallery

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A full month after California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, polling suggests overwhelming support for the policy.

A poll conducted by the California Health Care Foundation and polling firm Ipsos found that 75 percent of Californians not only favor the stay-at-home order, but also believe it should remain in effect "for as long as needed." The 1,015 survey respondents were presented the following two statements and asked which one aligns "most closely" with their opinions:

1. Californians should continue to shelter in place for as long as is needed to curb the spread of coronavirus, even if it means continued damage to the economy.

2. Californians should stop sheltering in place to stimulate the economy even if it means increasing the spread of coronavirus.

75 percent chose Statement 1, and just 11 percent chose Statement 2. The remaining 13 percent was unsure or had no opinion.

The poll was conducted from April 17-22 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. The researchers also tracked responses based on income level, and found that individuals with low incomes — defined in the survey as having incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty guidelines — are even more likely to support shelter-in-place. According to the survey, 78.7 percent of individuals with low incomes support the policy, and just 3.6 support rescinding the order.

This California poll supports the theory that despite highly-publicized protests against stay-at-home orders popping up across the country, the overwhelming majority of citizens support the measures. A similar national poll found that 8 in 10 Americans support stay-at-home orders and limiting gatherings to 10 people.

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Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting