Maui Now COVID-19 Audience Survey: The Results

Last week, we put out a “call-to-action” to our readers asking how they feel about the COVID-19 pandemic. There was strong participation with more than 2,000 verified responses. This was an over 400% increase in participation from our April survey.

A few of the questions came from our previous survey, and a few were added to reflect the changing news cycle. This survey was conducted from May 8 through May 15, 2020. All participants were required to verify their information via e-mail, in an effort to ensure accuracy. The survey was promoted on our social media channels and website. Here’s what we found:

Vaccinations

Our first question has proven to be a controversial topic, and our readers’ input reflected the mixed opinions on vaccination.

Small Business

The concern for Maui’s small businesses didn’t change much from the previous survey. The concern actually increased a bit, with only 1% answering that they have no worries about the survival of Maui’s small businesses.

Employment

As for employment, almost 60% answered they still have a job. Of the participants that did file for unemployment, a majority still said the process was difficult to impossible.

Politics

When it comes to politics, Maui leadership fared slightly better than state leadership in the court of public opinion.

Activities

As far as activities are concerned, a majority of our readers still miss hanging out with friends and family. Fortunately, with beaches opening up, 72% may be pretty excited.

The Threat

The more direct COVID-19 questions found that just under a quarter of the participants know someone with the virus. Not much of an increase from the April survey.

As we move into the third month of this pandemic, the concern is still there. Opinions were split between more concerned and less concerned from 30 days ago.

News Sources

Finally, we wanted to know where you are getting your news updates. As with the previous survey, we’ll admit the bias in asking readers of an online news source where they get their updates. Still, we appreciate your readership!