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News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Our responsibility is to keep you informed, and to help discern what’s important for your family as you make what could be life-saving decisions.

Poll: Most Floridians Want Statewide Mask Mandate

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
WUSF
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

A majority of Florida voters want the state to require facial coverings in public to combat the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

A mask requirement has the support of 79 percent, with 20 percent against it, according to the survey of 928 registered voters. The mandate is supported by voters of all age groups, both genders, across racial lines and with respondents of differing political affiliations.

Voters also give Gov. Ron DeSantis a negative job approval for his handling of the pandemic. Only 38 percent approved, while 57 percent disapproved. That’s a big drop from April, when Florida’s number of cases was lower, and 50 percent approved and 41 percent did not. 

Also those lines, a majority agreed the spread of the virus was “out of control” in the state, believe DeSantis opened the state too soon but were split on whether the governor should have enacted a statewide state-at-home order to fight the disease. 

More than 60 percent said it would be unsafe to send students back to school this fall, and 57 percent said the same for colleges reopening. 

The survey took place July 16-20 and was given a margin error of plus/minus 3.2 percentage points. 

Click here to see all the results of the survey, which also asked questions about the presidential election and the removal of public confederate symbols.