Nearly 70% of Americans Believe Rise in COVID-19 Deaths Preventable - Poll

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Nearly seven in ten Americans believe the recent rise in deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic was preventable, a new Quinnipaic University poll revealed on Wednesday.

"With the number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States now topping 650,000, an overwhelmingly majority of Americans say 68-24 percent that the recent rise in COVID-19 deaths in the US was preventable, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll of adults released today," the organization said in a release explaining the poll.

Democrats believed by 89% to 7% that the rise was preventable, independents felt the same way by 69% to 22% and only among Republicans was the margin of different views quite narrow with 48% agreeing the death toll was preventable and 43% saying it was not, the release said.

"'It didn't have to be this bad,' say voters. The nearly three to one margin of Americans who feel the country should have by now turned the corner on COVID underscores deep, lingering concern over the still menacing virus," Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said in the release.

A slight majority of Americans - 51% to 48% - disapprove of President Joe Biden's plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for millions. Republicans disapproved by 84% to 13% while Democrats approved by 89% to 10%, the release said.

Some 1,210 US adults were surveyed from September 10 to September 13 with a margin of error of plus/minus 2.8%, the release added.