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Views towards impact of increasing Covid-19 cases on public health system

14 Sep 2021

Q. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your state’s public health system during the Covid-19 pandemic?

  TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither disagree nor agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations 55% 19% 27% 28% 27% 14% 4%
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases 53% 19% 26% 27% 28% 13% 6%
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations 40% 29% 13% 27% 31% 17% 12%
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people 39% 34% 18% 21% 28% 14% 20%
  • Over half of people believe that the public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations (55%), and that the federal government is not paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases (53%).
TOTAL: Agree Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations 55% 52% 57% 52% 57% 54% 56% 57% 54% 47%
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases 53% 54% 53% 54% 54% 52% 62% 48% 61% 53%
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations 40% 46% 34% 48% 40% 33% 37% 51% 33% 33%
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people 39% 44% 33% 42% 39% 35% 35% 48% 40% 33%
Base (n) 1,100 539 561 341 374 385 367 389 103 145
  • Coalition voters are most likely to believe that their state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations (51%).
TOTAL: Agree State
NSW VIC QLD SA WA
My state’s public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations 61% 53% 43% 56% 66%
The federal government is planning to ease restrictions without paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases 55% 50% 52% 50% 65%
My state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations 42% 44% 39% 23% 37%
People vaccinated against Covid-19 should be prioritised for medical attention over unvaccinated people 40% 42% 38% 31% 39%
Base (n) 352 274 217 89 111
  • However, South Australians are most concerned, with just 23% agreeing that any surges in Covid-19 hospitalisations can be managed by SA’s public health system.
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