The Sconi

While the Delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to emerge throughout parts of the U.S., a recent Trafalgar poll indicates that most Americans are opposed to any action by state and federal government.

The poll, which was conducted between June 23 and 25, showed that 63% of respondents said that in light of the spread of new variants, government should take no action because of the widespread availability of vaccines and treatments for the disease. Less than one in four (24.7%) said the government should take some type of action, with 17.7% of respondents in favor of reinstating mask mandates and social distancing.

Just 7% were in favor of reinstating lockdowns, which separate data shows had some devastating consequences here in Wisconsin.

Drug overdoses increased by more than 50% in Milwaukee during the government-mandated lockdown between March and July 2020, according to the Washington Examiner. Suicides among young people soared by more than 100% in parts of Wisconsin during the lockdown, according to the Foundation for Economic Education.

"If you’re not vaccinated, it’s something you really have to worry about” UW Madison professor Dave O’Connor said about the new Delta variant. “If you’ve been vaccinated, the good news is you can more or less live your life normally. Though, I think the big asterisk we need to put on that is that not everyone has the same luxury. I’m fortunate in that I’m healthy and I’m vaccinated. But my dad, who is profoundly immunosuppressed, has been vaccinated but his vaccine might not work as well.”

A slight majority of Democrats (50.1%) favored no government action in response to the Trafalgar poll, with 25.8% in favor of reinstating mask mandates and social distancing, and 11.3% favoring more lockdowns. Among Republicans, the numbers were 83.4%, 7.2% and 2.4%, respectively. 

Following new WHO guidance saying that vaccinated people "might" pass the Delta variant to others, L.A. County Public Health officials "reinstated an indoor mask mandate."