Republicans are less likely to follow social distancing guidelines that prevent COVID- 19 transmission
Young Californians who identify themselves as Republicans are less likely to follow social distancing guidelines that prevent coronavirus transmission than those who identify as Democrats or Independents, according to a new USC study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The findings among 18- to 25-year-olds mirror what many have observed about America's politicized response to COVID-19, and are a source of alarm for public health experts. The United States is now averaging 207,000 new cases and 2,319 deaths per day, as of Friday.
You might expect middle-aged or older adults to have established ideologies that affect their health behavior, but to see it in young adults who have historically been less politically inclined is unexpected. Regardless of age, we would never hope to find results like this. Public health practices should not correlate with politics."