One in five Americans thought it was acceptable to threaten or harass public health officials over pandemic business closures as of last summer, research in JAMA Open Network shows.
Why it matters: The antagonism extended beyond science-doubters and people hurting from the effects of COVID-19, to higher earners, political independents and those with more education.
Details: The Johns Hopkins survey found the percentage of adults believing that threatening public health officials was justified rose from 15% to 21% from November 2020 to the summer of 2021.
- The biggest increases were among respondents who were male, identified as Hispanic and who were Republicans. There were also increases among those earning $35,000-$74,999 and $75,000 or higher.
Go deeper: While former President Trump has been blamed for stocking a divisive political climate and flouting public health measures, researchers found sentiment for harassment and threats continued to rise after President Biden took office and