Users can explore state- and county-level case data, as well as Wyomingites’ attitudes on wearing masks; trusting news sources; support levels for COVID-19-related policies; and much more from recurring public opinion surveys in the state.

“Our tool allows visitors see, side by side, what people think about the pandemic, how it’s changing our daily lives and the community health impact in real time, with case data updated every day,” says Jessica Schillinger, WYSAC’s web and graphic designer.

The website hosts up-to-date Wyoming COVID-19 data, as well as data visualizations of WYSAC’s recurring COVID-19 survey of Wyoming residents — currently in its 10th iteration.

“We hope that this tool will provide a centralized hub for residents, media, and local and state health officials to find information about the current state of COVID-19 in Wyoming,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the survey data at WYSAC. “In addition to current case information in the state, users can see and explore trends in public opinion surrounding COVID-19 in Wyoming since the beginning of the pandemic in March.”

[button type=”success” size=”lg”] Explore Wyoming COVID-19 Data [/button]

The survey was conducted Oct. 6, around the time when Wyoming was in the early stages of the current COVID-19 surge.

Over one-third of Wyomingites say they’re very or fairly anxious about the spread of COVID-19 in the state, an increase of 7 percentage points from September, but still 4 points less than the Aug. 10 survey. Another 20 percent say they are somewhat anxious about the spread in Wyoming, while just over 40 percent of Wyoming residents say they are not at all anxious about the spread in Wyoming.

While just over one-third of Wyomingites say the worst is yet to come in the United States, 39 percent say the worst is yet to come in Wyoming — an increase of 10 percentage points since September. Only 17 percent think the worst is behind us, a decrease of 9 points.

A majority, 53 percent, of Wyoming residents say they have confidence in the Wyoming health care system to handle the response to COVID-19, while 29 percent say they do not have confidence.

“Despite an increase in anxiety surrounding COVID-19 in Wyoming, we see self-reported facemask use remain steady at just over 60 percent of the state population,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “This compares to roughly 85 percent of the national population that say they have worn a mask or covering all or most of the time when in stores or other businesses.”

The survey is the ninth of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 505 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Other findings from the latest survey:

— Those who describe COVID-19 as a “real threat” stand at 47 percent, up 2 points from September, while 46 percent say it is “blown out of proportion,” down 2 points.

— Just under two-thirds, 65 percent, of Wyomingites say they are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their personal finances.

— A slight majority, 55 percent, say they support a limit on public gatherings as a policy to slow the spread of COVID-19, an increase of 4.4 points since September. Alternatively, just 21 percent say they support the closure of K-12 schools, and 19 percent support the closure of daycare centers, a decrease of 7 points each since September.

— A majority, 61 percent, of Wyomingites say they always or often wear a facemask when in indoor public places. Alternatively, 24 percent say they rarely or never wear a mask.

— Approval of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis declined, with 60 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things — a decrease of 6 percentage points.  His net approval rating is at plus 24.7 points.

— A large majority, 71 percent, say they trust the information they hear from the governor about COVID-19 a great deal or a good amount.

— Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 has remained steady, with 55 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. President Trump’s net approval rating is at plus 11.7 points.

— Exactly half (50 percent) of Wyoming residents say they trust the information they hear from Trump about COVID-19 a great deal or a good amount.

— Regarding the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis, 64 percent say they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things, resulting in a net approval rating of plus 32.7 points.

— A large majority, 73 percent, say they trust the information they hear from their local government officials about COVID-19 a great deal or a good amount.

— Approval of the way Congress is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains low, with just 19 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way Congress is handling things, resulting in a net approval rating of minus 53.8 points.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures and complete survey results, download the full report: https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/6706

The survey was conducted Sept. 8, about a week before Wyoming hit all-time highs in the daily number of new confirmed cases of the infection.

Just 30.4 percent of Wyomingites say they’re very or fairly anxious about the spread of COVID-19 in the state, down 11.3 percent from the Aug. 10 survey. Likewise, those who are very or somewhat worried someone in their immediate family might catch COVID-19 dropped 8.6 points to 51 percent.

Regarding attendance at outdoor public events, 54 percent say they would be extremely or somewhat comfortable with groups of up to 250 people, with 52 percent extremely or somewhat comfortable with groups of over 250. Those percentages increased by 8 and 9 percentage points, respectively, from Aug. 10.

Additionally, the percentages of people who support state government policies to slow the spread of COVID-19 decreased across the board. Just 28.5 percent support closing K-12 schools, down 4.4 percent from Aug. 10; 26.4 percent support closing day care centers, down 5 percent; 26.4 percent support closing restaurants and bars, down 6.5 percent; and 19.9 percent support shelter-in-place orders, down 1.6 percent.

A slim majority, 51 percent, support state limits on public gatherings, but that’s down 7.7 percent from Aug. 10. And 52 percent still support local ordinances requiring people to wear face protection in indoor public places, but that’s down from 60 percent in August.

At the same time, 62 percent of Wyomingites say they always or often wear face protection in indoor public places, down just 4 percent from Aug. 10 and higher than the 48 percent figure recorded in mid-July.

“It is clear from these numbers that the level of discomfort and concern about COVID-19 declined between Aug. 10 and Sept. 8, but people are still doing things to avoid the virus — such as wearing face protection, eating out less and washing their hands more frequently,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “Still, it’s worth noting that the percentages of people taking those actions have declined.”

The survey is the eighth of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 503 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Other findings from the latest survey:

— The percentages of people who think “the worst is behind us” (29.6 percent) and “the worst is yet to come” (31.9 percent) with COVID-19 in the U.S. are almost identical, with 20.8 percent unsure. In August, 42.3 percent though the worst was yet to come.

— Those who describe COVID-19 as a “real threat” stand at 45.2 percent, down 7.6 points from August, while 47.4 percent say it is “blown out of proportion,” up 8.3 percent.

— Approval of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 67 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Gordon’s net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) is at plus 37.6 percent.

— Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 has increased since July, with 56 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. President Trump’s net approval rating is at plus 18.1 points, up 16.1 points since July.

— Regarding the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis, 63 percent say they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things.

— Approval of the way Congress is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains low, with just 15 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way Congress is handling things and 76 percent saying they disapprove.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures and complete survey results, view the complete report: https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/6703

Asked about a face mask ordinance in their communities requiring use in outdoor public places, 56 percent opposed, while 36 percent said they would support.

The survey, conducted Tuesday, July 14, is the sixth of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 504 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

“We see an increase for all face mask-related topics since we began measuring in these items in March,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “Nearly half of all Wyoming residents now say they wear masks when visiting indoor public places, while over half say they would support local ordinances requiring use in indoor public places.”

Comfort levels for attending outdoor events in Wyoming this summer and fall have decreased since June, with 45 percent of residents saying they would be comfortable attending an outdoor event with up to 250 people — down from 56 percent in June. When considering outdoor events with more than 250 people, 40 percent of residents say they would be comfortable attending — down from 52 percent in June.

People were asked a series of questions regarding factors that might make them more or less likely to attend outdoor events this summer or fall:

— 40 percent say they would be more likely to attend if face masks were required of all attendees, while 35 percent said they would be less likely.

— 31 percent say they would be more likely to attend if there were special “safe zones” or similarly designated areas where face mask use and social distancing were required and enforced; 25 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— If face mask use were optional, 23 percent say they would be more likely to attend, while 40 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— If all attendees had a temperature check upon entry, 38 percent say they would be more likely to attend, while 16 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— If hand-sanitizing stations were available throughout the venue, 47 percent say they would be more likely to attend, while 4 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— 42 percent say they would be more likely to attend an outdoor event if social distancing rules for attendees were enforced everywhere at the event, while 24 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— If there were maximum occupancy/attendee numbers enforced to promote social distancing, 44 percent say they would be more likely to attend, while 17 percent say they would be less likely to attend.

— If there were no social distancing rules, 15 percent say they would be more likely to attend, while 53 percent say they would be less likely to attend an outdoor event this summer or fall.

Since the last survey iteration June 8, there has been an increase in the proportion of people who who support policies enacted to limit public gatherings, with 61 percent saying they support such policies, an increase of 4 percentage points. However, support for the closure of K-12 schools, day care centers, and bars and restaurants continues to decline, as does support for a “shelter-in-place” order.

Concerns related to COVID-19 increased for almost all aspects in this survey iteration, a reversal of the downward trend observed since March:

— 25 percent say they are very anxious about the spread of COVID-19 in the United States (+13 points since June).

— 17 percent say they are very anxious about the spread of COVID-19 in Wyoming (+9 points since June).

— 45 percent think the worst is yet to come in the United States (+19 points since June).

— 42 percent think the worst is yet to come in Wyoming (+14 points since June).

— Asked if they think COVID-19 is a real threat or blown out of proportion, 53 percent believe it is a real threat, an increase of 9 points since June.

— 23 percent of residents now say they are worried someone in their immediate family might catch COVD-19, an increase of 9 points since June.

Approval of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 66 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Gordon’s net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) is at plus 35 percent.

Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 decreases significantly, with 49 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. President Trump’s net approval rating is at plus 2 points, down from plus 17 points in June.

Regarding the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis, 66 percent say they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things.

Approval of the way Congress is handling the COVID-19 crisis decreased 7 percentage points, with 25 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way Congress is handling things. The net approval rating for congress is minus 39 percentage points.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures and complete survey results, go to https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/6695 .

Fifty-seven percent of residents say they are extremely or somewhat comfortable with attending outdoor events with up to 250 people in Wyoming this summer or fall. On the other hand, 33 percent say they are somewhat or extremely uncomfortable.

When considering events with more than 250 people, 52 percent of Wyomingites say they are extremely or somewhat comfortable attending. Alternatively, 38 percent say they are somewhat or extremely uncomfortable attending outdoor events of this size.

The survey, conducted Monday, June 8, is the fifth of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 498 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

“Moving forward, we will start measuring what factors will make more Wyoming residents feel comfortable attending outdoor events this year,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “We hope this information will prove useful to not only state and local health officials, but also to event organizers around the state.”

Here are some of the latest survey’s key findings:

— A quarter of Wyoming residents say they are not changing their daily routine specifically because of COVID-19, and increase of 9 points from one month ago.

— Over half (58 percent) of residents say they are not attending public gatherings, a decrease of 12 percentage points since May. Fifty-eight percent also say they are washing their hands more frequently, a decrease of 8 points. A 10-point decrease was observed in those who say they are avoiding physical contact with others, going from 68 percent in May to 58 percent at present.

— One-quarter of Wyoming residents say they always wear masks when in indoor public spaces, contrasting with 28 percent who say they never wear masks when in those spaces.

— Thirty-eight percent of residents say it is very likely that they will be vaccinated for COVID-19 if it becomes available, a decrease of 11 points from one month ago. Just over a quarter (26 percent) say it is very unlikely that they will get the vaccine.

— Fewer people are reporting difficulty purchasing household items, with 36 percent saying they have had difficulty in the past two weeks, a decrease of 15 points from a month ago. Similarly, 33 percent say they have experienced difficulty purchasing groceries or other food they wanted, a decrease of 13 points from a month ago.

— Approval of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 70 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Gordon’s net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) is at plus 46 percent.

— Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 crisis has remained steady, with 56 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Trump’s net approval rating a plus 17 points.

— Regarding the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis, 68 percent say they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things. The net approval for these entities is at plus 42 percentage points, a decrease of 4 points from two weeks ago.

— Approval of the way Congress is handling the COVID-19 crisis decreased 3 percentage points, with 32 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way Congress is handling things. The net approval rating for Congress is minus 26 percentage points.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures, and complete survey results, download the full report: https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/6694

Over two-thirds (70 percent) of Wyoming residents say they support the closure of K-12 schools, down from 85 percent at the end of March. Some 59 percent support the closure of bars and restaurants, down from 82 percent in March. And 39 percent of Wyomingites say they support a “shelter-in-place” order, down from 44 percent two weeks ago and 54 percent at the end of March.

“While we do see majority support for all policies other than a shelter-in-place order, support for all policies has declined steadily since we started collecting data in March,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “Additionally, the only preventative measure that Wyomingites say they are taking that increased from two weeks ago is the use of PPE such as masks and gloves, while nearly all other types of preventative behaviors showed a decrease from the last iteration.”

The survey, conducted Monday, May 11, is the fourth of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 473 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

Here are the numbers regarding major policies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, compared to two weeks ago:

— 70 percent say they support the closure of K-12 schools, a decrease of 6 percentage points.

— 62 percent say they support the closure of daycare centers, a decrease of 5 percentage points.

— 59 percent say they support the closure of restaurants and bars, a decrease of 5 percentage points.

— 67 percent say they support the limiting of public gatherings, a decrease of 7 percentage points.

— 39 percent say they support a “shelter-in-place” order, a decrease of 5 percentage points.

Here are some of the new survey’s other key findings:

— The number of people in Wyoming who say they are not changing their daily routine due to COVID-19 has increased 3 percentage points from two weeks ago to 15 percent. The number of people who say they have changed their daily routine a lot has decreased 5 percentage points to 43 percent, while 42 percent say they have changed their routine a little.

— A majority of Wyoming residents (51 percent) now say they wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or gloves in public spaces, representing the only increase in precautions taken by Wyoming residents to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

— Large decreases occurred for those reporting that they are declining visits from friends and family (39 percent, a decrease of 7 points), and for avoiding houses of worship (39 percent, a decrease of 7 points).

— Fewer people report that they are not attending public gatherings (70 percent, a decrease of 5 points), eating out less (67 percent, a decrease of 4 points) and spending more time at home (69 percent, a decrease of 4 points).

— Approval of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 74 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Gordon’s net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) remains high at plus 50 percentage points.

— Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 crisis decreased slightly again, with 57 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. President Trump’s net approval rating decreased by 3.7 percentage points to plus 17 points.

— Regarding the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis, 70 percent say they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things — reflecting a 7 percentage point decrease from two weeks ago. The net approval for this group is at plus 46 percentage points, a decrease of 13 points from two weeks ago.

— Approval of the way Congress is handling the COVID-19 crisis decreased 7 percentage points, with 35 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way Congress is handling things. The net approval rating for congress is minus 12 percentage points.

— Over a third (35 percent) of Wyoming residents say they are very anxious or fairly anxious about the spread of COVID-19 in Wyoming. Another 33 percent say they are somewhat anxious, while 32 percent say they are not at all anxious.

— Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of Wyoming residents say that COVID-19 is not likely to be a major problem in Wyoming, while 22 percent say the worst is behind us. Some 39 percent of residents say that the worst is yet to come.

— While the proportion of Wyoming residents who think COVID-19 is a real threat remained steady at 54 percent, the number who say it is blown out of proportion increased 4 points to 40 percent, while those who are unsure decrease 4 points to 6 percent.

— More Wyoming residents report that they are very unlikely to get a vaccine for COVID-19 if one becomes available, with 23 percent saying this is the case, an increase of 4 points. Additionally, 12 percent say it is somewhat unlikely, an increase of 4 points. Nearly half (49 percent) say they are very likely to get a vaccine, while 17 percent say they are somewhat likely.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures and complete survey results, download the issue brief: https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/6693