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

Of the roughly one-third of Wyomingites who say they or someone in their immediate family has lost their jobs, 64 percent say it’s likely those jobs or employment will return. Of the over half of Wyomingites who say they or someone in their immediate family have seen reductions in hours or pay, 73 percent are optimistic those hours or wages will be restored.

The survey, conducted Monday, April 27, is the third of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 496 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

“While most Wyoming residents continue to take the situation seriously, fewer residents are reporting that they are taking preventative measures,” says Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “While we do see an increase to nearly half of residents saying they now wear personal protective items in public places, we also see a decline in the number of people avoiding physical contact or turning down visits from friends or family, for example.”

Here are some of this survey’s key findings:

— Of those who report that they or someone in their family has been laid off or lost their jobs (35 percent), 64 percent say it is likely that the jobs or employment will return. Twenty percent say it is unlikely, while 17 percent are unsure if the jobs will return.

— Of those who report that they or someone in their family has seen work hours or pay reduced (57 percent), 73 percent say it is likely that these hours or pay will be restored. Fifteen percent say it is unlikely, while 12 percent are unsure if these hours or pay will be restored.

— Approval of the way Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon is handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 75 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 54 percentage points.

— Approval of the way President Donald Trump is handling the COVID-19 crisis decreased slightly, with 59 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way he is handling things. Trump’s net approval rating decreased by 5.6 percentage points to plus 20.5 percentage points.

— Approval of the way local government and health officials are handling the COVID-19 crisis remains high, with 77 percent saying they strongly approve or somewhat approve of the way they are handling things. The net approval remains high for this group at plus 59 percentage points.

— Concern about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy continues to increase, with 76 percent saying they are very concerned.

Meanwhile, support for major policies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 continue to decline:

— 76 percent say they support the closure of K-12 schools, a decrease of 8 percentage points.

— 67 percent say they support the closure of daycare centers, a decrease of 11 percentage points.

— 64 percent say they support the closure of restaurants and bars, a decrease of 12 percentage points.

— 74 percent say they support the limiting of public gatherings, a decrease of 8 percentage points.

— 44 percent say they support a “shelter-in-place” order, a decrease of 4 percentage points.

Fewer Wyomingites say they are following the news about COVID-19 very closely: 43 percent say this is the case, a decrease of 6 percentage points from two weeks ago and a decrease of 14 points from a month ago.

More Wyoming residents say they believe the worst is behind us (20 percent) than did two weeks ago (14 percent). Some 37 percent of residents say the worst is yet to come, a decrease of 10 points from two weeks ago.

While the number of people in Wyoming who say they have not changed their daily routine because of COVID-19 remains steady (12.5 percent), there has been an observable shift from those who say they have changed it a lot to those who say they have changed it a little:

— Nearly 48 percent of residents say they have changed their routine a lot, a decrease of nearly 7 points from two weeks ago. Alternatively, nearly 40 percent say they have changed their routine a little — an increase of nearly 5 points.

— 71 percent of residents say they are avoiding physical contact with others, a decrease of 8 percentage points from two weeks ago.

— 46 percent say they are avoiding houses of worship, and 47 percent say they are declining visits from friends and family — a decrease of roughly 5 points for each from two weeks ago.

— Fewer people say they are spending more time at home in response to the COVID-19 crisis (73 percent) than said they were two weeks ago (78 percent).

— More people report that they are wearing personal protective items in public spaces than said so two weeks ago, with almost half (49 percent) saying they now do this — an increase of 4 percentage points.

Fewer Wyoming residents feel COVID-19 is a real threat that did two weeks ago, with 54 percent saying so now — a decrease of 7 points from two weeks ago. Alternatively, 36 percent say it is blown out of proportion — an increase of 7 points.

There is a trend of an increasing proportion of people who say they are very unlikely to get a vaccine for COVID-19 if one becomes available, with 19 percent saying they are very unlikely to now. Two weeks ago, 15 percent said they were very unlikely, while a month ago 10 percent said this.

Significantly fewer residents say they have had problems in the last two weeks buying the groceries and/or household items they need. Some 62 percent say they have experienced problems buying groceries or other food items, a decrease of 15 points from two weeks ago. Some 49 percent say they have experienced difficulty purchasing household items, a decrease of 18 points from two weeks ago.

To see the survey methodology, chart, figures, and complete survey results, download the full report.

Additionally, over 60 percent of the state’s residents or members of their immediate families have seen their work hours or pay cut because of the pandemic.

The survey, conducted April 13, is the second of multiple surveys WYSAC is conducting to measure public opinion on a number of topics related to COVID-19. A total of 494 Wyoming residents participated in the survey representing all Wyoming counties, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

“We are happy to have the ability field this research regularly throughout this pandemic,” said Brian Harnisch, senior research scientist in charge of the project at WYSAC. “We hope this information continues to prove useful throughout this period to our state and local government officials, the media and our fellow Wyoming community members as a whole.”

Here are some of this survey’s key findings and comparisons with the results from two weeks ago:

— 39.5 percent of residents say they or members of their immediate families have been laid off or lost their jobs, an increase of 7.7 percentage points in the last two weeks.

— 61.1 percent say they or members of their immediate families have seen their work hours or pay cut, an increase of 4.8 percentage points in the last two weeks.

— 74.3 percent say they are very concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, an increase of 2.9 percentage points.

— 30.6 percent say they are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their personal finances, a decrease of 4.9 percentage points.

— 10.6 percent say they have not changed their daily routines specifically because of COVID-19, holding steady from 10.2 percent two weeks ago. Some 35.2 percent have changed their daily routine a little, while 54.2 percent said they have changed it a lot.

— 51.8 percent of residents say they are now declining visits from friends and family, an increase of 4.4 percentage points.

— 71.5 percent of residents say they are eating out less, which represents a decrease of 4 percentage points from two weeks ago.

— Nearly half (45.5 percent) of residents say they now wear personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, when in public places.

— Over 77 percent say they are avoiding physical contact with others, spending more time at home and not attending public gatherings — representing the top three changes people have made to their behaviors in response to COVID-19.

— 24.1 percent say that the worst is behind us in the United States, an increase of 16.9 percentage points. Some 44.1 percent say the worst is yet to come, a decrease from 66.6 percent from two weeks ago.

Regarding policies enacted to slow the spread of the virus, support remains high for the closure of K-12 schools, with 84.4 percent support (-.9 percentage points); closure of day care centers, with 78.2 percent support (-2.7 percentage points); and limiting public gatherings, with 82.2 percent support (-6.3 percentage points). Support for a “shelter-in-place” order decreased from 54.4 percent two weeks ago to 47.8 percent (-6.6 percentage points).

If a vaccine becomes available, 76.4 percent say they will likely get the vaccine — a decrease of 3.8 percentage points from two weeks ago. Alternatively, 14.6 percent say they are very unlikely to get the vaccine — an increase of 4.3 percentage points.

The survey also asked for perspectives on the way local, state and national leaders are handling the virus response. Results from those questions include:

— 62.0 percent approve and 35.8 disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling COVID-19 — representing a net approval of +26.1 points, a decrease of 1.9 points from two weeks ago. Some 57.6 percent say they trust what they hear about the virus from him, an increase of 1.9 percentage points.

— 76.1 percent approve and 20.8 disapprove of the way Gov. Mark Gordon is handling COVID-19 — representing a net approval rating of +55.3 points, a decrease of 12.6 points from two weeks ago. Some 84.1 percent say they trust what they hear about the virus from him, a decrease of 2.7 percentage points.

— 41.9 percent approve and 49.5 percent disapprove of the way Congress is handling COVID-19 — representing a net approval rating of -7.6 points, a decrease of 2.2 points from two weeks ago.

— 77.4 percent approve and 18.6 percent disapprove of the way their local government and health officials are handling COVID-19 — representing a net approval rating of +58.8, a decrease of 3.7 percentage points from two weeks ago. Some 83.2 percent say they trust what they hear about the virus from them, a decrease of 2.6 percentage points.

This survey also asked how much people trust the information they hear about COVID-19 from the national news media, with 41.5 percent saying they trust what they hear a great deal or a good amount. Some 58.5 percent say they trust what they hear not very much or not at all.

Asked about how much they trust what they hear about COVID-19 from their local news media, 66.6 percent said they trust what they hear a great deal or a good amount, while 33.4 percent say they trust what they hear not very much or not at all.

Finally, asked if they think COVID-19 is a real threat or blown out of proportion, 61.0 percent say it is a real threat a 2.1 percentage point decrease; 28.8 percent say its blown out of proportion, a 4.6 percentage point increase; and 10.2 percent are unsure, a 1.8 percentage point decrease.

To see the survey methodology, questions, and complete presentation of results, download the report here.