Scott Morrison’s approval has been boosted sharply by his management of the Covid-19 response with a substantial number of Labor and Green voters joining the applause.

The prime minister’s national approval jumped from 41% in March to 59% this month, according to Essential Research polling released Tuesday.

His disapproval rating shrank from 49% to 31% over the same period.

But the prime minister’s performance has not eased our concerns about the coronavirus threat. They have intensified since early March when 63% of voters were very concerned or quite concerned.

Essential Research found that on 29 March the figure had risen to 88% of voters who were very concerned or quite concerned. And this week the proportion had not changed.

Not surprisingly the most fearful age group were voters aged 55 and over, some 90% of whom were very or quite concerned.

But younger voters were also apprehensive. Some 85% of voters aged 18 to 34 years were very or quite concerned.

However, the federal government will take heart from the broad support, and the Essential poll revealed a significant number of Morrison’s traditional political enemies were among those saluting him.

It found 45% of Labor voters approved or strongly approved of his performance. And the same proportion of Labor voters disapproved or strongly disapproved of the job he was doing. That produced a net approval rating of 46% of Labor loyalists.

And a remarkable 29% of Green voters backed or strongly backed the prime minister. However, a majority of Green voters – 55% – were not impressed, producing a net disapproval rating of 56%.

The Labor and Green support could reflect the interventionist measures the federal government has launched, particularly on wage replacement and increased dole payments.

They are policies which contrast with the conservative economic and welfare stances Morrison championed pre-pandemic.

But those policies have not put off Coalition voters, 87% of whom told Essential Research they approved or strongly approved of Morrison’s actions.

The approval rating of the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, rose from 41% in March to 44% in April and his disapproval fell from 33% to 29%.