Almost HALF of Republicans Think Government is Exaggerating Reported Coronavirus Deaths

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

A new poll shows that a shocking percentage of Republican voters — nearly half — believe that fewer people have died from the coronavirus than the government is reporting.

In a new Economist/YouGov poll, respondents were asked “Do you think the government is accurately reporting the number of people who have died from COVID-19 or do you think more people have died from the virus or fewer people have died from the virus?”

A clear plurality — 39 percent — said that more people have died than the government has reported, while just 17 percent said fewer have died. Only 21 percent said the government’s numbers are accurate. That basic result — that a plurality say more people have died — was consistent across every demographic category. It’s also consistent with reporting on excess deaths that aren’t being included in the official death toll.

But among Republican primary voters, a whopping 47 percent said that fewer people have died, and only 12 percent said that more people have died than have been reported.

The Economist/YouGov

A recent analysis by The New York Times found a gap of more than 10,000 deaths that weren’t included in the coronavirus death toll, but were in excess of average deaths over the prior four years. That analysis noted “All of these numbers are likely to be a substantial undercount of the ultimate death toll, since death counting takes time and many states are weeks or months behind in reporting.”

Interviews for this poll were conducted before it was widely reported that President Donald Trump has privately “vented” to aides that the coronavirus death toll is “inflated.”