Fox News poll finds majority of voters support vaccines and masks

For months, Fox News hosts have been trying to convince Americans not to take basic steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus. But the network’s own polling shows that disinformation has not swayed most voters.

On Sunday, the network released a poll of registered voters that showed strong support for both mask usage and COVID-19 vaccination. By a 69%-28% margin, those polled said they “believe wearing face masks helps reduce the spread of coronavirus” — consistent with scientific evidence — and by a 65%-29% margin they agreed that the vaccines are “safe and effective.”

The survey also showed large majorities back mandates for both. Respondents supported requirements that teachers and students (67%-31%) and workers and customers (66%-31%) wear masks; that teachers be vaccinated (61%-36%); and that all government workers be vaccinated (58%-40%).

By a 56%-41% margin they also back President Joe Biden’s requirement that businesses with 100 workers or more conduct weekly coronavirus testing for any unvaccinated employee.

The Fox News poll results mirror other recent polling that has indicated most Americans want to see face mask and vaccination requirements, especially in light of recent case spikes due to the delta variant of the coronavirus.

But the network has devoted a significant amount of programming to undermining COVID-19 safety efforts.

Last week, prime-time host Tucker Carlson called for “mass resistance” against vaccine requirements and defended unfounded anti-vaccine social media posts by rap star Nicki Minaj, suggesting that the musician was unfairly “being bullied” over them but was bravely “still resisting.”

According to a Media Matters for America analysis, during the two-week period from June 28 to July 11, 57% of the network’s 129 segments on vaccination “included claims that either undermined or downplayed immunization efforts.”

Fox hosts have also ridiculed mask usage and urged viewers to call out those who wear them. In April, Carlson said, “Your response when you see children wearing masks as they play should be no different from your response to seeing someone beat a kid in Walmart. Call the police immediately. Contact Child Protective Services. Keep calling until someone arrives. What you’re looking at is abuse, it’s child abuse, and you are morally obligated to attempt to prevent it.”

Republican lawmakers have also pushed an anti-vaccination and anti-mask agenda.

On Friday, 24 Republican state attorneys general threatened to sue to stop Biden’s vaccine and mask requirement for large employers.

Several GOP-controlled states are under federal investigation for policies prohibiting local school mask requirements.

And in July, House Republicans repeatedly tried to shut down the chamber to protest mask requirements, even after multiple members of the caucus tested positive for the virus.

On Sunday, Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves defended vaccine refusers, telling CNN that Biden’s mandates are “an attack by the president on hardworking Americans and hardworking Mississippians who he wants to choose between getting a jab in the arm and their ability to feed their families.” Mississippi currently has the highest COVID death rate per capita in the country.

Polls show Republican attempts to demonize anti-coronavirus safety measures are failing to persuade voters.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.