More than two-thirds of Americans approve President Joe Biden’s response to coronavirus during his first week in office, according to a new ABC News / Ipsos poll released Sunday.
The survey noted that 69% of Americans support Biden’s COVID-19 response, including 97% of Democrats, 40% of Republicans and 70% of independents.
By comparison, the highest approval rate that former President Donald Trump received for dealing with the pandemic was in mid-March 2020, when 55% of Americans approved his response. This included only 30% of Democrats.
The new study was conducted from 22 to 23 January and randomly sampled 504 adults. The results have a margin of error of 5 points.
During his first day in office on January 20, Biden signed an executive order that enacted a face mask mandate and social detachment requirements in federal buildings and federal land.
According to the new poll, the president’s mask mandate was supported by 81% of Americans surveyed. Almost all Democrats polled (99%) supported the mandate. Most Republicans (59 percent) and independents (83 percent) also supported the federal mask order.
Biden also interrupted the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) during its first night in office, after the Trump administration accused the organization of being under “total control” of China.
About 70 percent of respondents said they supported Biden’s decision to rejoin WHO.
Biden also promised to open COVID-19 vaccinations to higher priority groups that the Trump administration had previously recommended and to launch more vaccines when they become available.
Ultimately, the president aims to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office.
Getty / Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
The survey also found that 57 percent of respondents are confident that Biden will make progress to unify the country.
“We can see ourselves not as adversaries, but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace – only bitterness and fury. No progress – just exhausting indignation. No nation – just a state of chaos, “said Biden during his inaugural address on January 20.
“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge,” added the president. “And unity is the way forward. And we must face this moment as the United States of America.”
Newsweek contacted the White House, but got no response in time for publication.