Poll: Majority of Virginians support mask mandates

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A majority of Virginians are concerned that new COVID-19 variants will worsen the pandemic, according to a new statewide poll.

In the poll, conducted by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, 75 percent of respondents said they were worried about the variants.

Another 71 percent support the mask mandate put in place for K-12 schools back in August. A smaller majority - 57 percent - said they would support a federal mandate requiring masks in all indoor settings.

There is a wide divide among political parties for all the questions, including the concern about variants. Most Democrats - 93 percent - indicated concern, compared to 68 percent of independents and 58 percent of Republicans.

The poll was conducted over the phone between Sept. 7 and 15 with a sample of 811 adults in Virginia. It has a margin of error of 5.35 percent.

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